Papoutsakia - Little Shoes (stuffed Miniature Eggplant)

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• chopped parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup grated kefalotiri or 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
• 2 1/4 lbs small eggplants (about 12)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 dash nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Recipe

• 1 brown onions,garlic, meat and cinnamon lightly in butter, stirring constantly.
• 2 add tomatoes, salt and pepper.
• 3 cook covered for about 15 minutes, allowing meat mixture to become quite dry.
• 4 remove from heat.
• 5 add parsley, egg, 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumbs.
• 6 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 7 along what you choose to become the'top' of each eggplant, peel a 1 1/2 inch strip from one end to the other and make an incision along the strip to within an inch of each end, making a little pocket.
• 8 place in baking dish and bake in moderate oven until soft and light brown, about 30-45 minutes.
• 9 insert knife blade into incision, make an opening and stuff with teaspoonfuls of meat mixture, making sure each little eggplant gets an equal amount of stuffing.
• 10 prepare bechamel sauce: melt butter over low heat; add flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir until well blended.
• 11 remove from heat.
• 12 gradually stir in milk and return to heat.
• 13 cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth.
• 14 remove from heat.
• 15 add the egg and remaining cheese to the sauce and whisk briskly, to prevent the egg from curdling.
• 16 pour about one tablespoon on top of each eggplant pocket.
• 17 sprinkle with additional grated cheese and dot with butter.
• 18 add tomato sauce to the pan.
• 19 bake for about 35 minutes longer.