Stuffed Eggplants with Breadcrumbs

Eggplants are a versatile and delicious ingredient, perfect for being prepared in a variety of dishes, but this recipe stands out for its simplicity and flavor. We start by washing the eggplants well under a stream of cold water to remove any impurities. Then, we cut them in half lengthwise, being careful to use a sharp knife to achieve even cuts. Although some people choose to blanch the eggplants to reduce bitterness, I decided to skip this step, as the eggplants I have available are very young and do not have that specific bitterness.

After cutting the eggplants, we use a special tool to scoop out the flesh. It's important not to crush the skins, so we need to be careful to leave about a 1 cm margin around the skin. The flesh obtained is placed in a food processor, where we blend it until it becomes a fine paste. If you do not have a food processor, a classic option is to use a meat grinder, which will do just as good a job.

Once we have obtained the eggplant cream, we transfer it to a large bowl. Here, we add salt to taste, a few dried marjoram leaves for extra flavor, two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and breadcrumbs, which will help bind the mixture and give it a pleasant texture. We mix all the ingredients well until we achieve a homogeneous composition.

Next, we fill each half of the eggplant with this mixture, being careful to fill them well but not overload them. We place the stuffed eggplants in a baking dish, and to give them an even richer taste, we lightly drizzle with oil on top. It is important to use a zigzag drizzling technique so that the oil distributes evenly, both on the eggplants and around them in the dish.

After preparing everything, we place the dish in the preheated oven at 180°C. They bake for about 45 minutes, but it’s good to check from time to time, as the baking time may vary depending on the type of oven and the size of the eggplants. The goal is to achieve a nicely browned skin that is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Finally, we can serve this delicious dish warm, alongside a fresh salad or as a side for a main course. Enjoy!