Baked eggplant with egg

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 2 m.-large eggplant(s), purple, thick
• 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 small onions, red (shallots)
• 3 medium-sized garlic cloves, fresh
• 2 m.-large tomato(s), fully ripe
• 1 pepper, red, long, medium hot
• 2 tbsp celery leaves, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp thyme, fresh or dried
• e.g. instant chicken broth
• n. B. Black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ tsp white sugar
• 4 medium-sized eggs (yolks only)
• 20 g salt
• 6 g citric acid, crystalline
• 1 liter of water
• n. B. Bergkäse, grated
• e.g. celery leaves, fresh
• n. B. flowers and leaves
• ½ Pepper, in rings, see text

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

A delicious and spicy Greek snack.

For the brine, mix the salt, citric acid, and water thoroughly. Wash the eggplants, remove the stems, slice a thin slice lengthwise from opposite sides, then halve the eggplants lengthwise. Score the halved cut surfaces into squares (approx. 8 x 8 mm). Avoid cutting through if possible. Soak the eggplants in the brine for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and dry between a tea towel. Heat a large frying pan, add 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, and heat until hot. Place the eggplants in the pan, cut-side down, and fry until browned. Turn over and fry the reverse side until browned. Allow the eggplants to cool slightly, then carefully scoop out the halved cut surfaces on the wider side of the eggplant with a knife. Set aside the removed flesh. For the eggplants, grease a sufficiently large baking dish and place the eggplant halves in it. Trim both ends of the small red onions, peel, and slice crosswise into approximately 3 mm thick slices. Peel the garlic and dice into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, peel, quarter, and deseed, and dice the flesh. Dry the cubes on kitchen paper. Wash the bell peppers and remove the stems. Cut the bottom half into approximately 3 mm thick rings and remove the seeds with tweezers. Use the rings for garnishing. Quarter the top half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice crosswise into approximately 5 mm wide pieces. Wash the fresh celery leaves, shake dry, and chop finely. Wash the fresh thyme and strip off the leaves. Heat a medium-sized pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and let it heat through. Sauté the onion rings, garlic, bell pepper, and tomato pieces, as well as the eggplant flesh, for approximately 5 minutes. Season to taste with instant chicken stock, sugar, and pepper. Stir in the thyme and half of the celery leaves. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Spread the above mixture over the eggplants, leaving space for an egg. Crack the egg and place the yolk in the empty space. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Garnish with the remaining celery leaves, pepperoni rings, and cheese. Serve warm with white bread. Accompany with a dry white or rosé wine.