Italian Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Sausage
Pile summer's garden bounty into these stuffed eggplant boats with Italian sausage. Fresh flavor where you can taste the roasted vegetables without being loaded with cheese. The perfect dinner for 2 with enough for leftovers.
Servings 2
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant cut in half
- ½ lb bulk Italian sausage (or 2 links) skins removed
- 1 red pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
For the filling
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs plus a little more for topping, if desired
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- lemon optional
- 1 Tablespoon butter diced
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant lengthwise in half from stem to bottom.1 eggplant
- Use a sharp knife to outline the flesh of the eggplant leaving about 1/2" rim. Cut deeper along the edges but make sure to not cut all the way through to the bottom.
- Remove the eggplant flesh either using a knife to cross cut and then use a spoon to scoop out the boat.
- Cube the eggplant pieces into a 1" dice.Drizzle a little olive oil all over a large sheet pan and place the cut eggplants face side down. Add the diced eggplant on the same sheet pan.
- Dice and chop the zucchini and core and chop the red pepper. Try and keep them to similar size as the eggplant.Place on the same sheet pan with the eggplant and drizzle everything with more olive oil and sprinkle over salt, pepper and fresh thyme.1 red pepper, 1 zucchini, 3 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- Roast in a 425° oven for about 30 minutes until roasted and golden. Leave the oven on.
- In a small skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat until cooked through.½ lb bulk Italian sausage (or 2 links)
- Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to drain and then add to a large bowl.
- To the sausage filled bowl, add the cooled and roasted vegetables and stir to combine with a beaten egg, breadcrumbs and fresh grated parmesan. Add a squeeze of lemon, if desired.1 egg, 1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, lemon
- Mound the stuffing into the eggplant dividing it evenly among each half.
- Sprinkle over some more parmesan and breadcrumbs if you like and dot with a little butter for richness.Bake for 20 minutes or so until golden on top. You might need a bit more depending on your oven.1 Tablespoon butter
