Ingredients

4 eggplants
125ml extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely diced
2 small green capsicums, finely diced
300g Cherry Tree Organics minced beef
500g tomatoes, finely diced, plus 6 slices ripe tomato
2 tbsp tomato paste
15g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced
yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Cut each eggplant in half and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the eggplants over high heat for 5 minutes, until evenly browned all over, turning them regularly with tongs. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the onion to the pan and fry over medium heat, stirring until soft and then add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the beef, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and most of the parsley, reserving some for garnishing. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes (the meat will continue to cook in the oven so it doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage).
4. Place the eggplants on the baking tray, cut side up. Gently open the bellies, then sprinkle the insides with sea salt. Poke the garlic slices into the eggplant flesh and spoon the meat filling into the belly of each eggplant, then cover each with a slice of tomato.
5. Pour 125 ml (½ cup) hot water over the eggplants, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the necks of the eggplants are tender.
6. Garnish with the reserved parsley and serve hot, with garlic yoghurt, a green salad and bread.