Ingredients

• 4 piece medium eggplants
• 400 g ground beef
• 1 piece large onion
• 3 clove garlic cloves
• 2 piece tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 200 ml hot water

Instructions

1. Prepare the eggplants

   Wash and dry the eggplants, then peel them in alternating strips lengthwise. Cut a deep slit down the center of each eggplant, being careful not to cut all the way through. Sprinkle salt generously inside the slits and let them sit for 30 minutes until they release their bitter juices. Do not skip the salting step as it removes bitterness and prevents the eggplants from absorbing too much oil.

2. Fry the eggplants

   Pat the eggplants completely dry with paper towels. Heat 80ml olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Fry the eggplants for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork. Do not overcrowd the pan or the eggplants will steam instead of fry.

3. Make the filling

   Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat remaining olive oil in the same pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn or it will taste bitter.

4. Cook the meat

   Add ground beef to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and no pink remains. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly. The meat should be completely cooked through and aromatic. Do not rush this step as proper browning develops flavor.

5. Add tomatoes and seasonings

   Dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan along with salt, pepper, paprika, and half the chopped parsley. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens. The filling should be moist but not watery. Do not add liquid at this stage as the tomatoes will release enough moisture.

6. Stuff the eggplants

   Preheat oven to 180°C. Carefully open the slits in the fried eggplants and stuff each one generously with the meat mixture. Arrange them in a baking dish with the stuffed side facing up. The eggplants should fit snugly in the dish. Do not overstuff as the filling may spill out during baking.

7. Bake with sauce

   Pour hot water around the eggplants in the baking dish, not over them. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes until the eggplants are very tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to lightly brown the tops. Do not let them dry out during baking.

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