Known as ‘Papoutsakia’ in the Greek kitchen, a delicious appetiser stuffed with its pulp, minced meat, feta cheese and tomatoes. Topped with creamy Béchamel and baked to a golden-brown colour.
Finger licking good!
Papoutsakia
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I hope you enjoy it!
Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and scoop their pulp.
Roughly chop the pulp and sprinkle some salt over it.
Sauté in batches the aubergines for 3-4 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons of oil and add the onions, sautéing for about 5 minutes.
Add the minced meat,
and the garlic,
increase the heat and continue sauteing until all the meat has been sautéed.
Add the tomatoes,
the aubergines pulp,
along with the parsley,
all-spice, coriander,
and oregano.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime crumble the Feta.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the feta and gently mix well and keep aside.
add the feta,
and gently mix well.
To make the Béchamel, boil the milk on low heat and keep aside.
Place a saucepan over low heat and add the butter,
Whisk, and once it melts and foams start adding the flour and keep on whisking to be just enough thick.
Start adding the warm milk, a bit at a time and keep on whisking. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue adding the milk and keep on whisking aiming to achieve a nice thick cream.
Add the nutmeg,
season with salt and pepper and continue adding the milk and keep on whisking aiming to achieve a nice thick cream.
Remove from the fire and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then while whisking, add the egg yolks in a slow and steady stream.
To put everything together, use a baking dish and place the sautéed halved aubergines, skin side down.
Add a bit of the minced meat mixture on their cut side pressing it down up to the level of the aubergines.
Spoon and add some of the Béchamel sauce.
On top add couple of slices of the cherry tomatoes and cook for 50 minutes at 180°C, air circulation.
Take out of the oven and allow for 15’ to cool and sprinkle on top some parsley.
Here you can find more of my Recipes using Feta.
Papoutsakia
Servings: 8 People
Ingredients
- 8 small/medium Aubergines
- 500g Chuck Beef , minced
- 12 Cherry Tomatoes , sliced
- 1 Yellow Onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic , finely minced
- 400g Diced Tomatoes , from a can, juices included
- 150g Feta , crumbled, Charalambides-Christis
- 1 teaspoon Dry Oregano , ground
- 1 teaspoon dry Coriander , ground
- 2 tablespoons fresh Parsley , leaves picked and finely chopped, plus some more for garnishing.
- teaspoon ½All-Spice , ground
- 120 ml EVOO , Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Béchamel:
- 400ml Fresh Milk 3% , Charalambides-Christis
- 60g all-purpose flour
- 40g Salted Butter , Country Life
- 2 Eggs , yolks only, beaten
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg , finely grated
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 180°C, air circulation, and put your rack halfway in the oven.
- Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and scoop the pulp leaving just a bit so that the skin doesn’t fall apart. Roughly chop the pulp, sprinkle some salt over it and keep aside.
- Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté in batches the aubergines for 3-4 minutes, flesh side down only, until they get a bit golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
- In the same pan over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of oil and add the onions, sautéing for about 5 minutes until they become translucent. Add the minced meat and the garlic, increase the heat and continue sauteing until all the meat has been sautéed and a nice color has been achieved.
- Add the tomatoes, the aubergines pulp along with the parsley, all-spice, coriander and oregano. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes for all the ingredients to come together and the tomato juices to be absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the feta and gently mix well and keep aside.
It’s Béchamel time!!
- In a small saucepan boil the milk on low heat. Keep aside.
- Place a medium size non-stick saucepan over low heat and add the butter, whisk, and once it melts and foams start adding the flour and keep on whisking to be just enough thick, a nice roux.
- At this point start adding the warm milk, a bit at a time and keep on whisking. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue adding the milk and keep on whisking aiming to achieve a nice thick cream.
- Remove from the fire and allow to cool for 5 minutes. While whisking the sauce add the egg yolks in a slow and steady stream. Béchamel is ready.
To put everything together...
- Use a large baking dish and place the sautéed halved aubergines, skin side down, and add a bit of the minced meat mixture on their cut side pressing it down up to the level of the aubergines.
- Finally use a spoon and add some of the Béchamel sauce. On top add couple of slices of the cherry tomatoes. Cook for 50 minutes aiming for the aubergines to soften and for the Béchamel sauce to get golden brown. Take out of the oven and allow for 15’ to cool. Sprinkle on top some parsley and serve.
