Little Eggplant Bites
Author/ Συγγραφέας: Katerina
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Appetizer
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Greek
Serves: 4
- 4 eggplants, cut in slices 1cm / half inch thick
- 250 gr. / 9 oz. ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup tomato juice
- ¼ cup sweet wine, I used Mavrodafni
- A hipping ¼ tsp nutmeg, same for cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Couple of tbsp. of olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cup tomato juice
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp basil
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup sweet wine, I used Mavrodafni again
- About 50 gr. / 2 oz. of Halloumi cheese, grated
- Wash the eggplants and put them in a drainer adding salt on top of them to release their bitterness.
- Let them stay for half an hour.
- In a pot add a few tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion and ground beef in medium high heat.
- Add the tomato juice, the wine, salt and pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and the bay leaves and lower heat to medium low.
- Boil for about 20 minutes or until the meat has absorbed most of its liquids.
- Remove and put aside.
- In a pot pour couple of tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic in medium high heat.
- Add the tomato juice, wine, oregano, basil, thyme, fresh basil, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Lower to low and boil for about 15 minutes.
- Remove and put aside.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Place all the eggplant slices on a parchment paper covered pan and bake them until they soften about 20 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven.
- Take a clean pan and pour one or two tbsp. of the tomato sauce.
- Add half of the eggplant slices.
- Take a small spoon and add on top of them some of the ground beef.
- Add some ground halloumi on top of it.
- Cover with the rest of the eggplant slices.
- Take a spoon and pour on each one of the bites some tomato sauce.
- On top of it add some grated halloumi again.
- If you have leftover sauce just pour it around the bites.
- Place them in the oven and bake them until the halloumi has melted and taken a nice golden color.
Recipe by Culinary Flavors at https://www.culinaryflavors.gr/little-eggplant-bites/
3.3.3070