Imam (Greek stuffed aubergines) is a delicious yet simple meal that’s packed full of flavor. Our recipe is packed with ground beef, vegetables, herbs, spices and mashed potatoes. These homemade stuffed eggplants can be enjoyed as a meal themselves, however you can always serve it with a side salad, roasted vegetables and some crusty bread.
This Greek stuffed eggplant recipe is an easy meal you can make any day of the week. So go ahead, give this traditional recipe a try and amaze everyone with this tasty and hearty dish!
Ingredients
- 5 eggplants
- 500g minced beef
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 glass of red wine
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes or tomato juice
- 100g grated kefalotyri or any hard yellow cheese
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2–3 tbsps chopped parsley
For the béchamel sauce
- 100g flour
- 100g butter
- 900ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt to taste
For the mashed potatoes
- 4 large potatoes, boiled
- 50g milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 egg yolks
Recipe Instructions
- Cut the eggplants in two pieces and carve them crosswise. Season the eggplants and place them in a colander for 30 minutes. Wash them with plenty of water and drain them on kitchen paper.
- Preheat the oven at 200C. Season the eggplants with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place the eggplants, skin facing up, in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake the eggplants for 40 minutes, until softened.
- Next prepare the meat sauce. Peel and chop the onions and garlic. Place a large pan on medium heat, add some olive oil and the onions and sauté, until softened. Stir in the garlic and sauté. Turn the heat up, add the minced beef breaking it up with your spoon and sauté. Deglaze with the red wine and wait 1-2 minutes to evaporate. Stir in the canned tomatoes, the cinnamon stick, a pinch of sugar, oregano and season. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and allow to simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes. At the end, add 1-2 handfuls grated cheese and chopped parsley and stir.
- Prepare the béchamel sauce for the Greek stuffed eggplant. Use a large pan to melt some butter over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in small batches,and keep whisking in order to prevent lumps. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat while continuing to stir. Remove the pan from the stove, stir in the egg yolks and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette! Season with salt to taste.
- Boil the potatoes in hot water for 10 – 15 minutes, until soft. Add to a food processor, along with the milk, butter, the egg yolks, freshly ground pepper and mix until smooth.
- Layer the eggplants at the bottom of a baking pan, with the skin down. Remove some of the flesh, to make room for the filling. Sprinkle the eggplants with grated cheese and spoon the meat sauce on top of each piece. Top with the béchamel sauce or mashed potatoes and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in the oven at 180C for 20 minutes, until nicely coloured.
- Serve this delicious dish with a salad and some crusty bread. Enjoy!
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