Eggplants stuffed with Pumpkin, Pinenuts and Spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups diced pumpkin
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red capsicum, deseeded and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped spinach
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup water
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup grated Manchego or tasty cheese
chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and remove as much of the flesh as
possible without piercing the skin. Place the eggplant skins in an oven dish
lined with baking paper. Cut the flesh into small pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant flesh,
pumpkin, onion, garlic and red capsicum and sauté until browned.
Add the spinach, tomato paste, water, pine nuts, parsley, smoked paprika
and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Fill the eggplant skins with the pumpkin mixture. Top with grated cheese.
Place in baking dish, add stock, cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes
or until the eggplants are tender. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes
of cooking time so the cheese browns. Sprinkle over chopped parsley
before serving.
