Sausage and Eggplant Stuffed Eggplants

We were blessed with a generous garden this year.  Trying to be creative to change things up, this was pretty good.

Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 
2 medium eggplants
olive oil
 
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the middle leaving a half inch around the perimeter.  Sprinkle the eggplant shells with the olive oil and bake face up for fifteen minutes.  Then remove from oven and set aside.   Leave oven on.
 
Place the eggplant pulp on a cutting board, dice it and place in a bowl.  Set aside.
 
8 ozs Italian sausage, w/o casings
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 c homemade marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 c mozzarella, shredded
½ c parmesan cheese
basil
 
Place the sausage, onion and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for ten minutes.  Break the sausage up in small pieces.   Add the garlic and cook for one minute.   Add the chopped eggplant and cook for five minutes.   Add a cup of the marinara sauce and salt and pepper and cook for five minutes.  Remove from heat.
 
Spread the remaining cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.  Place the eggplant shells face up on top of the sauce in the baking dish.  Place filling in the shells and top with the mozzarella and parmesan.   Bake for fifteen minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.