I’m seeing big beautiful eggplants everywhere I go these days, and while they’re delicious as a side dish, they have a hearty, meaty feel to them that is perfect in a main dish. Pairing that flavor with ground turkey results in a wholesome dinner the whole family can enjoy.
When scraping out the eggplant ‘innards’ – make sure to leave a thick enough shell behind so that the skin can still hold all the mixture you put back in. If you have leftover mixture, you can always form them into ‘meatballs’ and bake them alongside the filled eggplants.
Shana Tova!
Turkey stuffed eggplant – Serves 4
2 medium eggplants
1 cup cooked rice, any kind
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound ground turkey (or the meat of your choice)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Slice the eggplants in half, and brush each half lightly with olive oil, followed by a sprinkle of salt.
Roast, face up on 400 F for 30 minutes, then remove and let cool.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring constantly, until all browned.
Scrape out the inside of the eggplant, leaving a 1/2" thick shell all around.
Mix together the eggplant insides, the turkey and the rice. Add the salt, garlic powder and black pepper – season additionally to taste.
Mix in one beaten egg, then fill the eggplants with the mixture and bake an additional 30 minutes on 400 F. Serve hot.
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