Baked Eggplants with a Crispy Crust

Appetizers | Georgian cuisine

⏳ Time

15 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Vegetarians can skip the cheese — the crumbs will do just fine.

Ingredients

Eggplants - 2 pieces
Sun-Dried Tomatoes - 5 pieces
Garlic - 3 cloves
Orange Bell Peppers - 1 piece
Cheese Spread - 1.1 oz
Mild Chili Spice - 0 oz
Basil - 1 bunch
Parsley - 1 bunch
French Baguette - 7.1 oz

Step by Step guide

Step 1

In a blender, grind the baguette (any bread will do) and a clove of garlic with one tablespoon of olive oil. Pour the crumbs onto a hot skillet and fry until crispy and golden brown.

Step 2

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, then add them to the blender with the remaining garlic and herbs, adding just enough water to achieve a paste-like consistency.

Step 3

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, scoop out the insides, leaving the skins as boats with about a centimeter of flesh. This is best done with a small sharp knife, smoothly following the curves of the eggplants. Drizzle the prepared boats with olive oil and place them in a preheated oven at 392°F to keep them company.

Step 4

Chop the eggplant flesh, quickly sauté it in olive oil, add the chopped bell pepper (half will be enough) and the paste made from sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and garlic, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5

Remove the eggplant boats from the oven (while we were preparing the filling, they have already baked), fill them with the tomato mixture, generously sprinkle with a mixture of grated cheese and crumbs, and return to the oven for another five minutes.