Papoutsakia - Greek Stuffed eggplants

Vegetarian papoutsakia are classic Greek stuffed eggplants filled with rich tomato sauce and topped with creamy béchamel and cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 647kcal

Preheat the oven to 175°C / 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 flesh 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.

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 tablespoon, 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.

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.

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. 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 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 at 180°C / 390°F or until the top develops a nice golden color.
Serve immediately with a green salad and warm bread to dip in the sauce.

Shortcut option: For faster results, use a good-quality marinara sauce to top the eggplants.
No béchamel? No problem. Skip it and crumble feta over the tomato sauce instead. The salty feta pairs beautifully with the sweet eggplants and tomatoes and still makes a satisfying dish.
Cheese swaps: Kefalotyri can be replaced with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. In a pinch, any hard grating cheese like Manchego or Asiago will work.
Best tomatoes: Use canned whole San Marzano tomatoes when not in season. Crush them by hand for a rustic texture.
Avoid smooth tomato sauce: This dish needs chunky tomatoes. A sauce that’s too smooth or watery won’t hold up with the eggplants, béchamel, and cheese

Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.