Eggplant Parmesan Boats

Eggplant parmesan served stuffing in an eggplant with tasty Italian sausage!

Eggplant Parmesan Boats

ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants (~6 inches in length), cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
• basil for garnish

directions

1. Scoop the middle of the eggplant out leaving about 1/2 inch around the sides and chop and reserve the scooped out eggplant.
2. Brush the inside of the eggplant shells with oil and roast in a preheated 400F/200C oven, with the inside facing up, until just tender, about 10-15 minutes, before setting aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook the sausage and onion in a pan over medium heat, breaking the sausage up as you go, until the sausage is cooked, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
5. Add the chopped reserved eggplant and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup of the marinara sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook to heat, about 3-5 minutes, before removing from heat.
7. Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the bottom of a baking dish, place the eggplant shells in with the fleshy hollowed out sides up, fill them with the sauce, top with the cheeses and bake in a preheated 400F/200C oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 10-15 minutes, before serving garnished with fresh basil.

Tip: Cut cross hatches into the eggplant and cut 1/4 inch around the outside to make scooping out the inside easier.
Tip: If the eggplant shells won’t stand upright, cut a small slice from the bottom to give them a small flat area to stabilize them.
Note: You can skip pre-baking the eggplant shells and fill the raw eggplant with the sauce and bake at 350F, covered in foil, until the eggplant shells are tender and the cheese has melted but this will require about 40-50 minutes of baking time.
Option: Omit the sausage for vegetarian version.

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