Karniyarik Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

To Roast The Eggplants:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Using a fork, poke 7-10 holes in each eggplant.
3. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour making sure to turn once or twice for even roasting.
4. Take it out of the oven and let it cool on the counter.
5. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F.

To Make The Meat Sauce:

1. Meanwhile, make the meat sauce. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion, ground cumin, pepper, and ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, turn down the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
5. Off the heat, stir in a cup of chopped parsley.

To Assemble:

1. Mix together the water and tomato paste in a measuring cup.
2. Place roasted eggplant in a large casserole dish. It might be tight and that is okay.
3. Using a knife, gently cut a small opening in the "belly" of each eggplant. Lightly season the belly of each eggplant with salt (use 1/2 teaspoon salt in total.)
4. Fill the opening of each eggplant with the meat mixture letting it mound through the slit.
5. Spoon the tomato sauce & water mixture over the stuffed eggplant. You should use 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture for each eggplant. Pour the remaining mixture at the bottom of the casserole dish.
6. To garnish, slice a large tomato (or two small ones) into 6 thin slices and place a few slices on top of each eggplant, like you see in the photos.
7. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.