Israeli food has become very popular across the globe. My family loves it, so I often test all kinds of recipes on them and get their feedback when I experiment with new varieties of Israeli cuisine. Stuffed eggplants in particular have been appearing in cookbooks, magazines and blogs in the last few years. The eggplant is usually stuffed with beef or lamb, but I wanted to try a vegetarian version. This eggplant dish was inspired by my love of falafel, and my family really enjoyed it.

Directions

Prepare the Eggplants

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise; score cut sides with a crosshatch pattern. Place the eggplant halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet lined with Gefen Parchment Paper. Season the eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt and olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly tender and browned. Set aside.

3. In a food processor, combine chickpeas with onion, bread crumbs, parsley, tahini, remaining olive oil, and spices, and process until smooth.

4. Place eggplants in a baking dish. Spoon a half cup of the chickpea mixture into each eggplant shell. Add water and lemon juice to the bottom of the pan. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until eggplant halves are tender and chickpea mixture is lightly browned.

5. Combine relish ingredients in a separate bowl.

6. To plate, place eggplant halves on a platter. Top each with 1/4 cup of the relish and drizzle with tahini sauce.

About

Falafel Stuffed Eggplant appears in Naomi’s newest cookbook, Perfect Flavors, published by ArtScroll Mesorah Publications. Photography by Miriam Pascal.

Recipe tags

Aromatic Fresh Healthy ingredients Israeli cuisine Israeli food Mediterranean Naomi nachman Perfect Flavors Protein Stuffed eggplant The Aussie Gourmet Twists on tradition With a twist

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Rebecca

11 months ago

Seems that I’m late to this recipe…but never too late because YUM! It’s a perfect appetizer but can also be a main for a dairy meal, just add some feta cheese and voila!!

Chaya

4 years ago

This. Is. Incredible. The ingredients seems simple but the combination of flavors and textures is outstanding! I made it with regular size eggplant and served it for the main course for dinner, and everyone loved it – even the kids who “hate falafel”! Try it, you’ll love it, and it’s simple to prepare as well.