Baked stuffed aubergines with tomato and mozzarella
Baked stuffed aubergines with tomato, mozzarella, breadcrumbs and basil: the scooped-out flesh goes back into the filling, so nothing is wasted.
Are you after stuffed aubergines that are tender all the way through, without that stubborn raw layer next to the skin?
Then this baked version is for you. I will walk you through aubergines filled with tomato, mozzarella and basil, where the scooped-out flesh goes back into the filling instead of into the bin.
The trick is baking the empty shells for a quarter of an hour before filling them. Almost everyone skips this step, and it is precisely the one that decides the result: the aubergine needs more time than the filling, so it deserves a head start.
There are at least three good reasons to make them: they are a complete and substantial vegetarian main, they can be prepared ahead and reheat beautifully, and they use summer ingredients that cost very little.
One useful detail concerns the mozzarella: choose a firm one, dice it and let it drain for a few minutes. Mozzarella packed in water releases liquid in the oven and turns the filling into a puddle. The same goes for the flesh, which must be fried until genuinely dry.
Serve them warm, once the filling has set and the cheese still stretches, with a drizzle of raw olive oil and a few fresh basil leaves. Cold, the next day, they may be even better.
Ready? Let’s get started with baked stuffed aubergines.
Base preparations used
To make this recipe
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Oven tray or baking dish
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Steps
- Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern with a small knife, without piercing the skin. Salt them lightly and leave them cut side down for 15 minutes to draw out the bitter liquid.
- Scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a border about half a centimetre thick to keep the shells standing during baking. Set the flesh aside and chop it with a knife.
- Brush the shells with a tablespoon of oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes, so they start softening before they are filled.
- Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a pan with the crushed garlic, add the chopped flesh and fry it over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender and thoroughly dry.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for another 5 minutes, then take it off the heat, remove the garlic and add half the breadcrumbs, the parmesan, the torn basil, salt and pepper.
- Fill the shells with the mixture, scatter the diced mozzarella over the top and finish with the remaining breadcrumbs and a drizzle of oil.
- Bake at 190°C (375°F) in a conventional oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden on top and the aubergine gives no resistance to a skewer. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Helpful tips
Pre-baking the empty shells is what stops you serving raw aubergine under an already browned filling.
Use firm, well-drained mozzarella, otherwise the filling turns watery in the oven.
For a richer version add chopped black olives or a few spoonfuls of ricotta to the filling.
They are excellent warm or cold the next day, once the flavours have settled.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 24.0 g
- Sugars
- 8.0 g
- Protein
- 14.0 g
- Fat
- 18.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.0 g
- Fiber
- 6.0 g
- Sodium
- 540 mg
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