Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed eggplants
User Reviews
4.9
78 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
647 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed eggplants
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Papoutsakia- Greek stuffed eggplants have a hearty tomato sauce and luxurious creamy béchamel.
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Ingredients
For the eggplants
- 2 large eggplants cut in half
For the tomato sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 28 oz tomatoes crushed . San Marzano whole tomatoes like Gustarosso.
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
for the bechamel
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour plus more you need to thicken the sauce.
- 1 cup whole milk plus more you need to loosen the sauce.
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 cup kefalotiri cheese grated
You also need
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil total
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- dried oregano
Instructions
Prepare the eggplants
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and make some cuts at the flesh crosswise with a sharp knife carefully to not cut the skin.
- Sprinkle about 2-3 tbsp olive oil all over the eggplants, season with sea salt and pepper and a pinch of oregano.Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet facing down and bake for 30 minutes or until the flesh is soft.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a baking pan with the skin down.
Make the tomato sauce
- Place a saucepan on high heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, a generous pinch of oregano, the bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, season with sea salt and pepper, stir and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- With a fork, lightly tease the flesh of the eggplants. Remove some of the flesh, about one teaspoon, from each eggplant. Create a hollow space—that's where you will add the filling.Be careful not to remove too much flesh.Add the eggplant flesh to your tomato sauce and stir.
Start assembling
- Place the eggplants in a baking pan.Fill them evenly with about two tablespoons of tomato sauce. Sprinkle over some crumbled feta cheese. Add leftover tomato sauce around the eggplants.
Make the béchamel
- In a saucepan, warm the milk with the bay leaf.
- In another saucepan, on medium heat, add the butter and stir with a whisk or a wooden spoon until the butter melts.
- Add the flour in batches. Keep stirring to create a "roux."
- Discard the bay leaf from the milk. Gradually add the milk to the roux while stirring vigorously to avoid lumps from the flour.
- As soon as the mixture begins to thicken and the sauce is smooth and has a nice, not-too-thick texture remove from heat. Add the ground nutmeg and ¾ cup of grated kefalotiri—season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Finish assembling and bake
- Top eggplants with at least two tablespoons of bechamel sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the grated kefalotiri on top of the béchamel. Add a pinch of chili flakes all over if you like. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top develops a nice golden color.
- Serve immediately with a green salad and warm bread to dip in the sauce.
Notes
- For faster results, use your favorite marinara sauce to top the eggplants.
- No time to make the béchamel? Add some good quality feta cheese on top of the red sauce, and call it a day. The salty feta cheese paired with the tomato sauce and the sweet eggplant will work well together, and I guarantee you will be satisfied with the result.
- Suitable substitutes for kefalotiri cheese are parmesan or pecorino romano. But you can still use any hard cheese you can grate. Manchego, Asiago will work in a pinch.
- My favorite tomatoes are canned authentic San Marzano unless it is tomato season. They are whole tomatoes, so I crush them with clean hands.
- I do not recommend using tomato sauce; it is too liquid. This dish needs small rustic chunks of tomatoes to mingle with the béchamel, eggplants, and cheese.
- Note. A kind reader mentioned that a classic béchamel is a white roux and milk. Adding cheese makes this a Mornay or a white cheese sauce. He is right, of course, but because Greeks traditionally call this white sauce a bechamel, I chose to leave the recipe written as is and not correct it.
- Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
647kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
38g
(13%)
Protein
18g
(36%)
Fat
49g
(75%)
Saturated Fat
17g
(85%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
25g
Trans Fat
0.3g
Cholesterol
73mg
(24%)
Sodium
622mg
(26%)
Potassium
1189mg
(34%)
Fiber
11g
(44%)
Sugar
18g
(36%)
Vitamin A
2255IU
(45%)
Vitamin C
35mg
(39%)
Calcium
499mg
(50%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 647 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 647kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 49g | 75% |
| Saturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 25g | 125% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 622mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 1189mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 2255IU | 45% |
| Vitamin C | 35mg | 39% |
| Calcium | 499mg | 50% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
78 reviews
Excellent
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