Recipe serves: 12
 

Stuffed eggplants

Ingredients
 
Eggplants and stuffing for two pans
4 each medium eggplants
2 cup flour
5 each egg
¾ tsp salt
4 cup bread crumbs
Oil for frying
 
Stuffing
2 each medium onion, diced
2 Tbsp oil
3 1⁄3 lbs lean ground turkey
1 each large potato, peeled and thinly grated
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 Tbsp chicken soup powder
1 each egg
⅜ tsp black pepper
 
Sauce for one pan
15 oz tomato sauce (medium can)
2 each medium ripe tomato
3 Tbsp chicken soup powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1½-2 cup hot water
The recipe requires 2 batches of sauce
 


Preparation steps:
  1. Caramelized the diced onion with the 2 Tbsp oil.
  2. Mix the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Grate the ripe tomatoes (discard the tomato peel). Prepare the sauce from the tomato sauce, grated tomatoes, chicken soup powder, black pepper and water.
  4. Peel the eggplants and cut them into ¼-1/3 inch slices.
  5. Prepare the eggplant sandwiches: stuff 2 slices of eggplant with ½ inch patty of the turkey mix. Place the eggplant sandwiches on 2 large trays.

  6. In a soup bowl mix the eggs with the salt.
  7. Pour the flour and bread crumbs into two additional soup bowls.
  8. Dip each eggplant sandwich in the flour, then in the egg mix, and then coat with the bread crumbs.
  9. Deep fry in a medium hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
  10. Remove from oil and arrange on a paper towel for a few minutes to remove excess oil.

  11. Pour one third of the sauce into a very large baking dish (14 inch in diameter and 3 inch high)
  12. Arrange one level of the eggplant sandwiches and pour another third of the sauce on top.
  13. Arrange the second level of the eggplant sandwiches and pour the rest of the sauce on top.
  14. Bake covered at 350F for 1 hour.
Personal notes
This dish is an adaptation from the Greek dish, musaka. I've learned this recipe from my friend's mom, Leah, who lives in Haifa, Israel. I've known Leah's joy of cooking and amazing dishes ever since I was a young child. Getting to cook with her and learn her recipe was a special treat!
Picture of recipe


Take note!
  • Tomato sauce: 15 oz eq. 425g
  • Eggplants size: about 8-9 inch
    long and 2½-3 inch in diameter
  • Recipe amount:
    32-38 eggplant sandwiches
  • 3 1⁄3 lbs of lean ground turkey =
    2 packages of Foster Farms.
    Each package is 1 2⁄3 lbs
  • If there is stuffing left over, you can
    fry them as cutlets.