ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH MEAT SAUCE
I’m the kind of person who can take a bite of marinara sauce and eat it with the help of a spoon. I love it that much. But it feels odd, so I try to find other ways to drizzle with the delicious sauce. There’s always pasta. However, there are numerous alternatives! This week, I discovered eggplant for sale at $1.29 per pound (instead of per pound, making it a fantastic deal! ). I cut them in half and roasted them until they were deliciously soft, tender, and caramelized. Then I piled delicious homemade meat sauce over them. This roasted eggplant with meat Sauce is a tasty delight.
RED SAUCE SHORTCUT
Roasting the eggplant can take an amount of time (about one hour), which is why I had enough time to create my homemade meat sauce. If you’d like this dish to be more straightforward, you could substitute this homemade meat sauce for your favorite sauce in a jar. However, I’m trying to highlight how simple the meat sauce you can make. It’s straightforward. It’s so simple that I could make it every week and keep it in the pantry to serve over any roasted vegetables I eat during the week.
MAKE IT VEGETARIAN
Are you not interested in making an entire meat sauce? sautéing a few minced mushrooms is an excellent alternative. This will give the sauce a greater volume and make it a main course rather than a simple side dish. Make sure you simmer the mushrooms until the spice in your pot starts to dry up and you begin to notice some browning. This is the stage where you’ll be able to taste the flavor.
CAN YOU EAT THE EGGPLANT SKIN?
Yep! The skin of the eggplant is edible, even though certain people do not like the texture. The skin is lots of nutrients and fiber; however, if you don’t like the surface, take the flesh from the skin before eating. The meat of the eggplant is soft and straightforward to remove from the skin.
INGREDIENTS
ROASTED EGGPLANT
Two tablespoons olive oil ($0.26)
Two cloves of garlic, chopped ($0.16)
1/2 teaspoon Italian spice blend ($0.05)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Two eggplants (about 7”-8” in length) ($2.58)
MEAT SAUCE
1/2 lb. ground beef ($3.25)
One tablespoon olive oil ($0.13)
One small onion ($0.32)
2. Tbsp of butter ($0.26)
28 oz. tomato pieces ($0.89)
1/2 teaspoon Italian mix of seasoning ($0.05)
Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or according to your preference) ($0.02)
Two tablespoons grated Parmesan ($0.21)
INSTRUCTIONS
The oven should be heated to about 400oF. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, minced garlic, Italian spices, and salt.
Cut each of the eggplants into half lengthwise. After that, use a paring knife to cut a crosshatch inside the flesh (do not puncture your skin). Pour the olive oil seasoned over the cut areas of the eggplant. Smear it all over using the back of the spoon.
Put the eggplants on an oven tray, cut the sides inwards, and place the baking sheet in the oven. (Coat your baking sheets with nonstick spray to ensure simple cleaning) Bake the eggplants for around 60 minutes or until they appear like they’ve been deflated and the skins look wrinkled.
While the eggplant is roasting and the sauce for meat is being prepared. Place the ground meat and oil into the saucepan and cook at medium-low temperature until the meat is browned. If you’re using a more percentage of fat beef (90 percent lean or less), remove the fat that remains from the pan.
Slice the onion, then incorporate it into the brown beef and butter. Sauté over moderate temperature until the onions become translucent and soft. Add the tomatoes that have been crushed, Italian seasoning, and fresh cracked pepper. Mix well, and then let the sauce be simmering. When it is at a boil, reduce the heat to a simmering level and allow it to simmer until the eggplants are cooked, which should take about 30 minutes minimum. After serving, taste and then add salt as required (about 1/2 teaspoon).
Once the eggplant is done roasting, flip them over using the spatula (they are pretty soft). The top of each half of the eggplant is an enormous amount of meat sauce and a sprinkle of grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
