Papoutsakia Recipe (Greek Stuffed Eggplant)
This Papoutsakia recipe brings you Greek stuffed eggplants filled with savory meat sauce and topped with creamy béchamel, packed of flavour!
Ingredients
Eggplants
- 4 Eggplants halved and scored
- Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Meat Sauce Mixture
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil for sautéing
- 1 Red onion (large) finely chopped
- 5 Garlic cloves minced
- 500 grams Beef mince
- ½ cup Red wine
- 400 grams Crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 Bay leaves fresh
- 18 grams Fresh parsley chopped, keep some to the side for garnish
- 16 grams Fresh mint chopped
Bechamel Sauce + Topping
- 60 grams Unsalted butter
- 50 grams Plain flour
- 400 ml Milk
- 1 Egg yolk do not use the white
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 50 grams Kefalograviera cheese (for sauce) subsitute with with parmesan, kefalotyri, graviera, or kasseri cheese
- 50 grams Kefalograviera cheese (for topping) subsitute with with parmesan, kefalotyri, graviera, or kasseri cheese
Instructions
Preparing the eggplants
- Halve and Score the Eggplants: Start by halving your eggplants lengthwise. With a sharp knife, score the flesh in a diamond or checkered pattern, making sure not to cut all the way through to the skin.
- Place on Baking Tray: Arrange the flesh of the eggplant side up on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, keeping the skin side down.
- Season and Bake: Drizzle each eggplant with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C fan-forced for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh is tender and can be easily mashed with a fork.
- Create the Hollow: Remove from the oven and use a fork to gently mash down the eggplant flesh, creating a hollow or “little shoe” shape.
Cooking the meat mixture
- Sauté the Onion and Garlic: In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and garlic. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Ground Beef: Stir in the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s browned and no longer pink.
- Pour in the Red Wine: Add the red wine to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to cook off the alcohol and infuse the meat with flavour.
- Incorporate the Crushed Tomatoes and Spices: Add the crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity. Stir well to combine, letting the spices blend into the sauce.
- Add Fresh Herbs and Bay Leaves: Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, along with a couple of bay leaves. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
- Season to Taste: Add a bit more salt or black pepper if needed, and remove the bay leaves before using the filling.
Making the Bechamel Sauce
- Create the Base: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk continuously until they combine to form a creamy paste.
- Add the Milk Slowly: Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue adding the milk slowly, allowing the sauce to thicken and develop a smooth, velvety texture.
- Incorporate the Egg Yolk: Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk to add richness.
- Add Cheese and Nutmeg: Stir in the grated Kefalograviera cheese, along with the nutmeg.
Assembly and Cooking
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 175°C fan-forced to get it ready for baking the assembled papoutsakia.
- Fill the Eggplants: Take each hollowed eggplant and spoon the prepared meat mixture into the center, pressing down lightly to ensure it’s packed well.
- Top with Béchamel Sauce: Spoon the béchamel sauce over the meat filling in each eggplant, spreading it evenly for a smooth, creamy topping.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the béchamel. This extra grated cheese will help create a golden, melted layer on top when baked.
- Bake: Place the stuffed eggplants back into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and bubbling.
- Rest Before Serving: Once out of the oven, allow the papoutsakia to rest for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 908kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 43gFat: 57gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 724mgPotassium: 2036mgFiber: 18gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 1693IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 578mgIron: 7mg
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