Turkish Eggplant with Ground Beef (Karniyarik)

Ingredients

• 2 large Eggplants
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper
• 2 medium Tomato
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 0.25 cup Parsley
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 0.5 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 cup Water

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. 2Cut the 2 large eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh of each half in a crosshatch pattern, making sure not to cut through to the skin. Brush the cut sides with 1.5 tbsp of the 3 tbsp olive oil and season with 0.5 tsp of the 1 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp of the 0.5 tsp black pepper.
3. 3Place the prepared eggplant halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until they begin to soften.
4. 4While the eggplants are baking, heat the remaining 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 lb ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet.
5. 5Add the 1 medium onion (finely diced), 1 medium green bell pepper (finely diced), and 2 cloves garlic (minced) to the skillet with the ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
6. 6Stir in the 2 medium tomatoes (diced), 2 tbsp tomato paste, 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, the remaining 0.5 tsp salt, and the remaining 0.25 tsp black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened slightly.
7. 7Remove the partially baked eggplants from the oven. Carefully spoon the ground beef mixture evenly into the hollowed-out centers of each eggplant half.
8. 8Place the stuffed eggplant halves into a baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish, around the eggplants. Bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the eggplant flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
9. 9Garnish the stuffed eggplants with the 0.25 cup parsley (chopped) before serving.

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