Name: Melitzanes Papoutsakia: Greek Stuffed Eggplant
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 3 eggplants, washed and dried; 1 pound ground beef, chicken or lamb; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1/2 cup olive oil; 15 oz (425g) crushed tomatoes; 4 garlic cloves, grated; pinch of crushed red pepper flakes; salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; a handful of fresh parsley, chopped; shredded or grated Parmesan/Kefalotiri cheese; 2 cups whole milk; 5 tablespoon olive oil; 4 tablespoons all purpose flour; 2 eggs; salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste; pinch of ground nutmeg; about 2 cups of grated parmesan

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Carmalized eggplant with a beefy filling and cheesy bechamel sauce!

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Melitzanes Papoutsakia translates to little eggplant shoes, but it’s really Greek stuffed eggplant. I posted this recipe a while back, but I’m updating it since I’ve changed it over the years. My original recipe was delicious, but this one is even better! Mostly because I used to scoop the eggplant flesh out and put it in the meat sauce. I discovered that if you score the flesh in a crisscross pattern, it caramelizes when you bake it and tastes so much better under the meat sauce than in it. You’re going to love it!

Why you’ll love it

Tender caramelized eggplant

Nutty parmesan cheese

Beefy tomato sauce

Creamy bechamel cheese sauce

Roasted eggplant, thick beefy tomato sauce, and creamy cheese sauce layered together for a family dinner or weekend get-together!

Here’s what you’ll need

Eggplants -substitute zucchini if you don’t care for eggplant
Ground beef -substitute chicken or lamb
Onion -finely chopped
Olive oil –try the one in our shop straight from Crete!
Crushed tomatoes
Garlic cloves -grated or minced
Crushed red pepper flakes -optional for a bit of heat
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried oregano
Fresh parsley -chopped
Shredded or grated Parmesan or Kefalotiri cheese

For the Béchamel:

Whole milk -for the creamiest bechamel
Olive oil -lightly flavored
All-purpose flour
Eggs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Grated parmesan

Greek Eggplant Dish: Eggplant stuffed with meat sauce, cheese, and topped with Bechamel sauce.

How to make Melitzanes Papoutsakia, aka Greek Stuffed Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
Slice the eggplants in half, lengthwise, and cut criss-cross slits into the flesh, being careful not to cut all the way down to the bottom.
Place the slices into a baking pan.
Drizzle the eggplant slices with about a quarter cup of olive oil, adding more if needed.
Season the flesh side with salt and pepper.
Roast the eggplant slices in the oven for about 40 minutes or until golden and tender.

Make the Meat Sauce

Add the onion, a quarter cup of olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a pot, and cook over medium heat until soft and golden -about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and warm through until fragrant.
Then, add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink.
Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Add the tomato and a cup of water.
Cook the sauce over medium-high heat until thickened -about 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the oregano and chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Whisk together the Béchamel Sauce

Add olive oil and flour to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted.
Whisk in the milk, salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg.
Cook until it comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, then remove from the heat.
In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth
Whisk in a small amount of the hot bechamel to the eggs to temper.
Then, add the egg mixture to the pot, whisking constantly.
Add the cheese and mix it until incorporated.

Assemble the Papoutsakia:

Mash the eggplant flesh to make room for the filling.
Sprinkle the top of the eggplant with some grated cheese.
Then, divide the meat sauce equally among the eggplant topping the cheese.
Top with béchamel sauce, then sprinkle the top with more grated cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Greek Melitzanes Papoutsakia: Eggplant Shoes

Freezer instructions

These stuffed eggplants freeze surprisingly well! So, if you have any leftovers, put them in an air-tight freezer-safe container. They’ll stay fresh for up to two months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, and warm them in the oven to serve.

How to serve

After you take the stuffed eggplant out of the oven, let it rest for about fifteen minutes to allow the sauce and cheese to set. You can put them all on a serving platter for a family-style meal or on individual plates. You can serve them with toasted bread and/or a salad. However, it does go perfectly with any veggie side. Try it with roasted potatoes for classic Greek Moussaka flavor or Greek-fried zucchini chips as a fun twist. Kali Orexi!