Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Really, all I have to say about this is that it is, hands down, one of my absolute most favorite things that I have ever cooked.  If you like eggplants, make this.  Immediately.  I made this about three months ago and enough time has passed to sneak it back into the rotation (anything which features vegetables stuffed into more vegetables cannot make too regular an appearance or Husband would riot), so there are currently two eggplants sitting in my refrigerator waiting to be stuffed and baked this week (with matzoh meal, instead of bread crumbs)… I am getting hungry just thinking about it!

Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 (1-once) slice bread (I used oatnut bread)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 1 1/4 cups diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup diced seeded cherry tomato
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Score cut side of each eggplant half by making 4 crosswise cuts.  Place the eggplant halves, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 25 minutes or until tender.  Remove from oven; cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Remove inside pulp, leaving a 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick shell; reserve eggplant shell.  Chop/smush pulp.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
4. Place bread in a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup.  Drizzle the breadcrumbs with olive oil and pulse to combine.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add onion and saute for 3 minutes.  Stir in the chopped eggplant, bell pepper, tomato, oregano, and garlic; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese, parsley, salt, and black pepper.
6. Stuff each eggplant shell with 1/2 cup of onion mixture; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. 
7. Place eggplants on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly browned.