Chef Giovanni Farruggio, of Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, shows News 12's Lily Stolzberg how to make stuffed eggplant.
Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients:
3 baby eggplants
2 cups marinara sauce
¼ cup pecorino
½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup fresh mozzarella (crumbled)
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
6 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Directions:
1. Place baby eggplants on a cutting board and make two ¼ in. cuts per eggplant lengthwise from top to bottom on both sides of the eggplant.
2. Lay each eggplant on a paper lined roasting pan cut side down.
3. Drizzle each eggplant with one tablespoon of oil and rub making sure to fully coat each eggplant with oil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 400 deg. For 15 mins.
5. While the eggplants are roasting mix together the panko, Italian bread crumbs, oil , salt and pepper, making sure all are incorporated well.
6. Remove eggplants from oven. Using a spatula press down on the eggplants until they flatten.
7. Place ½ the marinara down on roasting pan and lay the eggplants on top of sauce.
8. Cover the eggplants with the remainder of the sauce.
9. Cover the sauce with the bread crumb mixture.
10. Combine the fresh and shredded mozzarella and top the eggplants with it.
11. Roast for an additional 5 min. or until the cheese is golden brown