Photography by T. Mike Fletcher
1 medium sized eggplant
¼ cup raw orzo
½ red bell pepper
3 ounces mushrooms, any variety will do
½ medium size onion
2 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
½ of a 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
¼ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Line a jelly roll pan with foil and coat with cooking
spray. Cut the eggplant in half and score each half. Place on baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Cool.
Line another pan with foil. Core the red pepper and cut in half. Place in a medium sized bowl. Trim the ends from the stems of the mushrooms; add to the bowl.
Cut the onion in ½-inch moons; add to the bowl. Smash the garlic cloves to flatten. Place in the bowl. Add the olive oil and toss vegetables to coat well. Place the veggies in a single layer on the baking pan grouping them together as much as possible. The mushrooms will take about 10 to 12 minutes. The red pepper takes about 12 to 15 minutes, the garlic 15 to 17 until browned (but not burned) and finally the onions should take 20 to 23 minutes until golden and caramelized. Remove each as soon as they are done, cool slightly and coarsely chop. Once the red pepper is roasted and cooled the skin can be removed then chopped.
Scoop the pulp from the roasted eggplant leaving about 1/2 inch thick shell. Reserve the shells; chop the pulp.
Combine the breadcrumbs with the asiago cheese and set aside.
Reduce the oven to 350. Place the eggplant shells on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Fill each shell with half the mixture. Add just enough olive oil to the breadcrumb mixture to moisten it. Top the stuffed shells with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and lightly browned. Serve immediately.
By Helen Fletcher, The Ardent Cook
