Yield:
6 servingsIngredients
3 medium eggplants
Olive oil, for sauteing
1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
6 ounces pitted black olives,
drained and sliced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (set oil aside) and julienned
1 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
6 whole fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off stem end of eggplants. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a small knife or melon baller, scoop out pulp (set aside), leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Place eggplant shells, cut side up, in 9×13-inch pan filled with about 1/2 inch water in the bottom of the pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until tender.
While eggplant shells are baking, prepare the filling: Cut up eggplant pulp into 1-inch pieces. Heat reserved oil from tomatoes, with a little olive oil if necessary, over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan. Saute eggplant pulp until soft but not mushy, stirring constantly, and adding additional olive oil if necessary to keep the eggplant from sticking.
In a large bowl, combine sauteed eggplant, cheese, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, parsley, and basil. Mix together well. Stuff cooked eggplants with filling. Return to oven and bake until filling is heated through, about 15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Cut in half crosswise, and serve halves hot.
