Nikos's Melitzanes Papoutsakia recipe

🌱 Nikos’ holiday favorite: Greek stuffed eggplants (Melitzanes Papoutsakia) 

This is what Nikos has to say about this dish “It’s my favorite Greek dish. It is more than just a dish to me—it’s a vivid reminder of my homeland. Each bite takes me back to the streets where I grew up, surrounded by the rich, aromatic scents of Greek cooking. The spices, representing the essence of Greek culture, offer a depth of flavor that embodies warmth and hospitality.”

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 50g olive oil,
• 5 small Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes, or grated fresh tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• crushed red pepper flakes
• 450g shredded mozzarella cheese
• 450g cups cubed feta cheese
• chopped parsley

Cooking Steps:

1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 260°C. Halve and hollow eggplants, brush with oil, season, and bake for 13 minutes, finishing with a broil until golden.
2. Potatoes: Season and oil potato slices. Bake at 204°C for 15 minutes.
3. Sauce: Cook onions, garlic, and mushrooms, add eggplant pulp and tomatoes. Simmer until it forms a thick sauce.
4. Assemble: Layer eggplants on potatoes, fill with feta, and top with sauce.
5. Bake: Cook stuffed eggplants at 204°C for 30 minutes, add mozzarella, and bake for another 15 minutes.
6. Serve: Cool briefly, garnish with parsley, and serve with toasted bread.

Feel free to swap in or add other vegetables that you love or that are grown locally.