Sausage Stuffed Eggplant

After discovering how delicious the Zucchini "Pizza" Boats were, I thought I would give this a shot.

The combination of roasting and sautéing fresh vegetables makes me think this dish could be equally delicious if made without the sausage.

2 large eggplants cut in half lengthwise

1 zucchini, diced and steamed

1 lb Italian Sausage

1/2 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 28oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes (lightly salted)

2 T Olive oil

1/2 T dried oregano

5 basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup low fat mozzarella

2T shredded parmesean 

Salt & Pepper

**COOKING TECHNIQUE when making any eggplant dish, I usually sprinkle the flesh side with salt and then place this side down on a paper towel for an hour. It helps to remove the bitterness from the eggplant and makes it more tender after roasting.

Preheat Oven 400F

Lightly coat eggplant flesh with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet. Add oregano, onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Add zucchini and tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes on low-med heat.  

Remove eggplant from the oven and fill with sausage mixture.  Top each filled eggplant with cheeses and basil. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.