Little Eggplant Bites
 
 
Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Appetizer
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Greek
Serves: 4
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
  • 4 eggplants, cut in slices 1cm / half inch thick
For the Ground Meat
  • 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
For the Tomato Sauce
  • 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
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
  1. Wash the eggplants and put them in a drainer adding salt on top of them to release their bitterness.
  2. Let them stay for half an hour.
For the Ground Meat
  1. In a pot add a few tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion and ground beef in medium high heat.
  2. Add the tomato juice, the wine, salt and pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and the bay leaves and lower heat to medium low.
  3. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the meat has absorbed most of its liquids.
  4. Remove and put aside.
For the Tomato Sauce
  1. In a pot pour couple of tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic in medium high heat.
  2. Add the tomato juice, wine, oregano, basil, thyme, fresh basil, sugar, salt and pepper.
  3. Lower to low and boil for about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove and put aside.
  5. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
  6. Place all the eggplant slices on a parchment paper covered pan and bake them until they soften about 20 minutes.
  7. Take them out of the oven.
Assembly
  1. Take a clean pan and pour one or two tbsp. of the tomato sauce.
  2. Add half of the eggplant slices.
  3. Take a small spoon and add on top of them some of the ground beef.
  4. Add some ground halloumi on top of it.
  5. Cover with the rest of the eggplant slices.
  6. Take a spoon and pour on each one of the bites some tomato sauce.
  7. On top of it add some grated halloumi again.
  8. If you have leftover sauce just pour it around the bites.
  9. 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/