Greek Stuffed Eggplant

Note from Cheri: This recipe is from Mollie Katzen's classic vegetarian cookbook Still Life with Menu Cookbook. This is a filling, hearty entrée that can form the base of a fabulous vegetarian meal. For more of Mollie Katzen's recipes plus a fun and informative interview with this Celebrity Chef superstar, click here.

2 lg. or 3 med. sized eggplants 3 T olive oil 5 C minced onion 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. salt 4 C chopped fresh tomatoes 2 tsp. dried basil black pepper to taste 3 C good bread crumbs (from good bread) 1/2 C ground sesame seeds (use a blender, grind in quick spurts to flour-like consistency) 1 C toasted pine nuts 1 C crumbled feta cheese 2 T lemon juice dash of cinnamon dash of nutmeg dash of paprika small amount of finely minced fresh parsley Béchamel sauce (follow link for recipe)

Serves 6 as an appetizer Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a plain teaspoon, scoop out the innards, leaving a shell approximately 1/4" thick. Set the eggplant shells aside. Finely chop the innards. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Sauté the onions and garlic with the salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring intermittently. When onions are very soft and translucent (10-15 minutes), add the chopped eggplant. Cover and let cook another 8-10 minutes. Add tomato, basil and pepper. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes over medium heat. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, ground sesame seeds, pine nuts and crumbled feta. Stir this mixture, along with the lemon juice, into the cooked vegetables. Mix well. Stuff the eggplant shells. Arrange them in a shallow baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Prepare the Béchamel sauce during the baking. Ladle some Bechamel sauce over each individual portion. Garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika and parsley.