This recipe is for 2 people, you can easily double everything if cooking for 4 or you want leftovers 🙂
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound Spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup marinara or arrabiata sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
basil for garnish – shredded
Directions:
- Preheat Oven to 400F
- Scoop the middle of the eggplant out leaving about 1/2 inch around the sides. Easiest way to do this is to make cross hatches and use a spoon to scoop it out.
- Chop and reserve the scooped out eggplant.
- Brush the inside of the eggplant shells with olive oil and roast in a preheated 400F oven, with the inside facing up, until just tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove eggplant and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the sausage and onion in a pan over medium heat, breaking the sausage, until the sausage is cooked, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped reserved eggplant and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook to heat, about 3-5 minutes, before removing from heat.
- Fill the eggplants with the sauce, top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes.
- Before serving, you can add some heated marinara sauce on the plate and garnish with fresh shredded basil.