Sausage Stuffed Eggplant Food

SAUSAGE-STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush cut sides of eggplant with olive oil and place, cut-side up onto a baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove and allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, brown the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat; drain off the grease. Place into a mixing bowl, and season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir in bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the beaten egg; mix well.
• Once the roasted eggplant has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the flesh to within 1/2-inch of the skin to create a shell. Roughly chop the eggplant meat, and fold into the sausage mixture. Divide evenly among the two eggplant shells, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until the filling has set, and the cheese is bubbly and golden-brown, about 30 minutes. While the eggplant is baking, warm the remaining spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat to serve with the eggplant.

STUFFED BAKED EGGPLANT WITH SAUSAGE AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise. With a spoon remove the flesh from the center of the eggplant halves, leaving a ¼ inch rim around each. Reserve 100 g of the scooped out flesh. Place the scooped out aubergine halves on a large baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a food processor chop 100 g of the scooped out eggplant flesh and set aside.
• Sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the sausage and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until thoroughly browned.
• Add the chopped eggplant flesh and continue to sauté for 5 minutes until the eggplant pieces are soft. Remove from the heat.
• Add the tomato puree and spices, stir and combine.
• Stuff evenly the scooped out eggplant halves with the sausage mixture. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake in the oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes.
• Take out of the oven and top each eggplant with mozzarella slices. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
• Serve hot or at room temperature with few tablespoons of tomato sauce.
• *For the tomato sauce, briefly sauté garlic in olive oil. Add tomato paste, and stir.
• Stir in water, red wine, sugar (if needed) and dried basil.

SAUSAGE STUFFED ROUND ZUCCHINI OR EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Scoop out the round zucchini, reserving the tops. Or scoop out the eggplant.
• Chop the vegetable centers you've scooped out and set aside.
• Cut the mozarella into cubes - about 1/3 inch.
• Chop the onion.
• Mince the garlic.
• Dice the bread into 1/4 inch cubes.
• Brown the sausage (breaking it up as you put it in the pan or as it cooks) along with the garlic and onion in the olive oil, crumbling the sasuage as you stir.
• When browned a bit, add the chopped vegetable centers and spices and stir until it softens and some of the liquid has evaporated if the vegetables are watery.
• Add the tomato sauce and bread cubes and stir until the cubes are softened.
• Remove the filling from the heat and add the mozarella cubes.
• Scoop the filling into the hollowed vegetables, top with the reserved tops and bake in a deep baking dish at 350 for about 45-60 minutes or until the filling is hot and the vegetable bowls are tender (but not falling apart). I find the vegetable bowls cook better if I cover the baking dish with foil for about half of the baking time.

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT-STUFFED SHELLS IN TOMATO-BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the sausage until golden brown, stirring to break up the pieces, about 6 minutes. Add half of the onions and the eggplant, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly caramelized and very soft. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in the ricotta or mascarpone cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and sugar. Stir to combine well.
• Lightly grease a deep 9 by 13-inch casserole or lasagna pan and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells until just al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat shells dry. Stuff the pasta shells with the sausage-eggplant mixture and place in the prepared casserole dish.
• In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute the remaining chopped onions until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until the sauce is reduced in volume by about 1/3, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the basil to the sauce and pour the sauce over the shells in the casserole. Sprinkle with the fontina cheese and the remaining Parmesan. Cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce is lightly browned in spots and bubbly around the edges, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT AND SWEET SAUSAGE BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the sausage and cook until brown.
• Add the eggplant, salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
• Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly soft.
• Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted.
• Add the thyme, oregano, and garlic.
• Stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken stock and parsley and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring.
• Remove from the heat and add the bread crumbs and cheese.
• Mix well.
• Spoon into a casserole dish and bake for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
• Serve hot.