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    Home » Vegetarian » Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed Eggplants

    Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed Eggplants

    Last updated March 11, 2023. Originally posted March 11, 2023 By Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves. 38 Comments.

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    Papoutsakia-Greek stuffed eggplants are a classic, delicious dish. This spectacular recipe does not include meat. It has tender eggplants with a hearty tomato sauce, luxurious creamy béchamel, and cheese.

    This recipe has been updated with a new copy, images, and clarification on some of the ingredients and cooking method.

    If you love papoutsakia, you will also love this roasted giant beans in tomato sauce, Greek beef ragú pasta or feta cheese puff pastries with leeks and dill!

    A white baking pan and a plate with eggplants topped with a hearty tomato sauce and creamy béchamel.

    Why this recipe sings

    In Greece, we call these delicious stuffed eggplants "papoutsakia," which means "little shoes." Usually, papoutsakia have a meat-based sauce, like a bolognese. This vegetarian version is lighter, although still a cheesy, creamy goodness. 

    Pre-baking the eggplants and using some flesh in the filling is key. The earthy flavor of the flesh gives weight to the sweet tomato sauce without making it heavier. The béchamel on top is what makes this dish a great comfort food. Rich and creamy yet light, you don't feel like you ate a heavy meal.

    Note. A kind reader mentioned that a classic béchamel is a white roux and milk. Adding cheese makes this a Mornay or a white cheese sauce. He is right, but because Greek cooks traditionally call this white sauce a bechamel, I chose to leave the recipe written as is and not change it.

    Here is what you need

    For the eggplants and tomato sauce

    • Eggplants.
    • Onion and garlic cloves.
    • Tomatoes. San Marzano whole tomatoes like Gustarosso.
    • Bay leaf, cloves, and a cinnamon stick. Bay leaf adds a subtle bitterness, the cloves have a warm, intense flavor and aroma between sweet and bitter. The cinnamon is sweet and woody with slight citrusy notes. All three go very well with the umami tomatoes, complimenting their savory sweet flavor. They are a staple in making tomato sauce.
    • Extra virgin olive oil. The one ingredient that is present in all greek recipes.
    • Feta cheese. Just a little crumble is spread over the eggplants before the white sauce. It adds a tangy note to the creamy bechamel and goes well with the sweet eggplants and tomatoes.
    • Kefalotiri cheese. The salty semi-hard cheese is the go-to for Greek cooks when serving pasta or adding to foods like giouvetsi, moussaka, or pastitsio. That said, many opt to substitute with grated parmesan or pecorino romano.
    • Sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and dried oregano.

    For the bechamel sauce

    • Butter. Good quality unsalted butter.
    • All-purpose flour. Keep some more around in case you need to thicken the sauce.
    • Whole milk. As with the flour, keep a little more around if you need to loosen the sauce.
    • Nutmeg, a bay leaf, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. The nutmeg is nutty and sweet, and the bay leaf adds a touch of bitterness to the milk.
    • Kefalotiri cheese. It tends to be salty cheese, so season the bechamel after incorporating it into the sauce. Substitute with grated parmesan or pecorino romano. The tip about salt still applies to the substitute cheese.
    • One egg. This is optional. An egg is used to make the bechamel more solid over the eggplants. I found that it bakes well without an egg too.

    How to make this recipe

    Prepare the eggplants

    Cut eggplants in half length-wise, and make some cuts at the flesh crosswise with a sharp knife carefully not to cut the skin. Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp olive oil all over the eggplants, and season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch of oregano.

    Place eggplants on a parchment paper lined baking sheet facing down and bake for 30 minutes or until the flesh is soft.

    Make the tomato sauce

    Chop the onions and garlic.

    Place a deep saucepan on high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, a generous pinch of dried oregano, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir and saute for two-three minutes.

    Add the tomatoes, stir, and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes—season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

    Remove from the heat and set aside.

    With a fork, lightly tease the eggplant flesh.

    Remove about one tablespoon of flesh from each eggplant, and add it to your tomato sauce. Make sure not to take too much flesh out.

    Start assembling

    One of my tips is to start assembling before I make the bechamel sauce. I don't like to have the white sauce wait around while I prepare the rest of the dish because it forms a light crusty film on top. This way, you use it over the eggplants right away.

    Fill the eggplants evenly with about two tablespoons of tomato sauce. Add leftover sauce around the eggplants.
    Add the crumbled feta cheese.

    Make the béchamel sauce

    In a medium pot, on medium heat, add the butter and stir with a wire until the butter melts. Add the flour in batches. Keep stirring to create a "roux."
    Start adding the milk slowly while stirring continuously. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken and the sauce is smooth and has a nice, not-too-thick texture remove from heat.
    Add ¾ cup of the grated kefalotiri.
    Keep whisking, and add the egg, freshly ground pepper, and one teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Taste the sauce and season with sea salt if needed.

    Top eggplants with at least two tablespoons of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle over the rest of the grated cheese. Add a pinch of chili flakes all over if you like.

    Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden in color.

    Serve immediately with a green salad and warm bread to dip in the sauce.

    Eat like a Greek

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    Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

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    A plate with two stuffed eggplants and some herbs.

    Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed eggplants

    by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
    Papoutsakia- Greek stuffed eggplants have a hearty tomato sauce and luxurious creamy béchamel.
    4.87 from 23 votes
    Print Recipe
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    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Greek
    Servings 4
    Calories 647 kcal

    Equipment

    • Rimmed baking sheet
    • Parchment paper
    • Large size saucepan
    • Medium size saucepan
    • baking pan

    Ingredients
      

    For the eggplants

    • 2 large eggplants cut in half

    For the tomato sauce

    • 1 onion diced
    • 3 garlic cloves minced
    • 28 oz tomatoes crushed . San Marzano whole tomatoes like Gustarosso.
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 cloves
    • 1 cinnamon stick

    for the bechamel

    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • ⅓ cup all purpose flour plus more you need to thicken the sauce.
    • 1 cup whole milk plus more you need to loosen the sauce.
    • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
    • 1 cup kefalotiri cheese grated

    You also need

    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil total
    • ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
    • sea salt
    • freshly ground pepper
    • dried oregano

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the eggplants

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
    • Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, and make some cuts at the flesh crosswise with a sharp knife carefully to not cut the skin.
    • Sprinkle about 2-3 tbsp olive oil all over the eggplants, season with sea salt and pepper and a pinch of oregano.
      Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet facing down and bake for 30 minutes or until the flesh is soft.
    • Remove from the oven and transfer to a baking pan with the skin down.

    Make the tomato sauce

    • Place a saucepan on high heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, a generous pinch of oregano, the bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, season with sea salt and pepper, stir and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and set aside.
    • With a fork, lightly tease the flesh of the eggplants.
      Remove some of the flesh, about one teaspoon, from each eggplant. Create a hollow space—that's where you will add the filling.
      Be careful not to remove too much flesh.
      Add the eggplant flesh to your tomato sauce and stir.

    Start assembling

    • Place the eggplants in a baking pan.
      Fill them evenly with about two tablespoons of tomato sauce. 
      Sprinkle over some crumbled feta cheese. 
      Add leftover tomato sauce around the eggplants. 

    Make the béchamel

    • In a saucepan, warm the milk with the bay leaf.
    • In another saucepan, on medium heat, add the butter and stir with a whisk or a wooden spoon until the butter melts.
    • Add the flour in batches. Keep stirring to create a "roux."
    • Discard the bay leaf from the milk.
      Gradually add the milk to the roux while stirring vigorously to avoid lumps from the flour.
    • As soon as the mixture begins to thicken and the sauce is smooth and has a nice, not-too-thick texture remove from heat.
      Add the ground nutmeg and ¾ cup of grated kefalotiri—season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

    Finish assembling and bake

    • Top eggplants with at least two tablespoons of bechamel sauce. 
      Sprinkle the rest of the grated kefalotiri on top of the béchamel. Add a pinch of chili flakes all over if you like.
      Bake for 45 minutes or until the top develops a nice golden color.
    • Serve immediately with a green salad and warm bread to dip in the sauce.

    Notes

    For faster results, use your favorite marinara sauce to top the eggplants.
    No time to make the béchamel? Add some good quality feta cheese on top of the red sauce, and call it a day. The salty feta cheese paired with the tomato sauce and the sweet eggplant will work well together, and I guarantee you will be satisfied with the result.
    Suitable substitutes for kefalotiri cheese are parmesan or pecorino romano. But you can still use any hard cheese you can grate. Manchego, Asiago will work in a pinch.
    My favorite tomatoes are canned authentic San Marzano unless it is tomato season. They are whole tomatoes, so I crush them with clean hands.
    I do not recommend using tomato sauce; it is too liquid. This dish needs small rustic chunks of tomatoes to mingle with the béchamel, eggplants, and cheese.
     
    Note. A kind reader mentioned that a classic béchamel is a white roux and milk. Adding cheese makes this a Mornay or a white cheese sauce. He is right, of course, but because Greeks traditionally call this white sauce a bechamel, I chose to leave the recipe written as is and not correct it.
       
      Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 647kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 18gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 622mgPotassium: 1189mgFiber: 11gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 2255IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 499mgIron: 2mg
      Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
      Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed Eggplants
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      Hi there!

      I am Jenny, a Greek expat living in the greater New York City area. I like to say I am a beauty art director turned foodie, aka the Greek foodie. Born and raised in Greece, my fondness for good food goes hand in hand with my heritage. My absolute favorite thing to do is cook delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.... Find out more about me here…

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