Beyli baghli (Stuffed eggplant)

Beyli baghli (Stuffed eggplant)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 small eggplants

1 lb. ground lamb

2 onions, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

½ cup pine nuts

1 cup chopped parsley

8 strands long-stemmed parsley

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 ½ tsp. ground allspice

1 tbsp.ground coriander

2 tsp. paprika

water

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Slice eggplants lengthwise into halves.

2. Sprinkle salt on eggplants and let stand for ½ hour.

3. Wash eggplants with water to remove salt.

4. Saute eggplants in oil until slightly browned.

5. Scoop out flesh of eggplants, and set aside for later use.

6. Saute pine nuts until slightly browned.

7. Saute chopped onions until slightly browned.

8 Saute chopped pepper until soft.

9. Saute ground lamb until slightly browned.

10. Combine lamb, eggplant flesh, onions, pine nuts, pepper and chopped parsley.

Add salt and pepper, and 2 tbsps tomato paste, and mix thoroughly.

11. Stuff mixture in scooped out eggplants.

12. Combine the halves of each eggplant to resume original shape.

13. Use a sprig of parsley to bind the halves together.

14. Place eggplants in a roasting or casserole pan.

15. Dissolve remaining tomato paste in 1 cup of water, and spread over eggplants.

16. Bake in a 375° oven until tender.

Note: Beyli baghli is a dialect variation of Beli baghli, Turkish for Tied at the waist.