Italian Cheese Stuffed Eggplant

Caciocavallo dolce cheese can be used as a variation on the provolone

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 firm medium-sized eggplant
1 pound (500 g) plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 ounces (150 g) provolone
4 salted anchovies, rinsed and boned
1 med onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
A handful of basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Wash the eggplant, trim the stems, and make several deep parallel cuts lengthwise into each, without slicing all the way through to the base. Open the eggplant the way you might a book, dusting both cut surfaces with salt and stand them up in a colander for an hour.
  2. In the meantime, finely slice the onions and gently saute it in a couple of tablespoons of oil until it is well wilted. Add the tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer the sauce for a half hour. Shred the basil, mince the garlic, rinse the capers, rinse and bone the anchovies, and add everything to the sauce. Cook for a few minutes more.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C), and while it's heating finely dice the cheese. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Distribute the cheese and the sauce evenly, arrange in in an ovenproof serving dish, sprinkle with olive oil, and bake for an hour.
  4. Serve hot or cold.

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