Papoutsakia

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 large eggplants (approx. 1 kg)
• olive oil
• 1 shallot(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 300 g minced meat (lamb or beef)
• 1 tomato paste
• 300 g tomatoes, peeled (can)
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• 60 g cheese (Kefalotiri or Parmesan), grated
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• Cinnamon
• 40 g butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 500 ml milk
• 1 egg(s)
• 60 g cheese (Kefalotiri or Parmesan), grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• nutmeg
• Sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Wash and dry the eggplants, remove the stems and blossom ends. Halve the vegetables lengthwise and make 1 cm incisions along the cut surfaces. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for about 15 minutes. Then carefully squeeze out the excess water and pat off any remaining water with a paper towel. Scrape out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a 1 cm edge. Finely chop the flesh and place it in a bowl. Heat plenty of olive oil in a pan and fry the hollowed-out eggplant halves until golden brown, turning frequently. Grease an ovenproof dish with olive oil and place the eggplant halves in it. Finely chop the shallot and garlic and fry in a little olive oil. Add the minced meat and fry vigorously. Briefly fry the tomato paste, roughly tear the tomatoes into pieces and add them without any juice. Add the eggplant flesh and simmer gently for about 8 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated. Wash the parsley, shake dry, and chop finely. Add it to the meat mixture along with the cheese and breadcrumbs and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and sugar. Stuff the hollowed-out eggplant halves with the meat mixture. For the béchamel sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the milk. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens, then remove from the heat. Crack the egg into a cup and mix with the cheese. Carefully stir it into the sauce and mix well. Season the béchamel sauce with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and season to taste. Pour the sauce over the stuffed eggplants and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.