Beef and Eggplant Sausage in Eggplant Shell Casings

• 2 small eggplants (about 3/4 pound each)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more if needed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese

1. To make the sausage, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise.
2. Scoop the pulp out of each eggplant half, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
3. Coarsely chop the pulp and sprinkle it with the salt.
4. Set the pulp and shells aside separately.
5. In a large nonreactive saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add the onion and garlic and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
7. Crumble in the beef and cook, stirring to break up the clumps, until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, wine, and eggplant pulp and decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer.
9. Cook, stirring frequently and adding a little water when necessary to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan, until the eggplant collapses into a puree, the wine is no longer raw, and the mixture is almost dry, about 30 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
11. Add as many eggplant shells as will fit without crowding and saute, turning two or three times, until wilted all around, about 6 minutes.
12. Transfer the shells, open sides up, to a baking dish in which all the shells will fit tightly packed.
13. Repeat with the remaining shells, adding more oil if needed to prevent sticking.
14. Preheat the oven to 350F.
15. Divide the sausage mixture evenly among the eggplant shells, filling them to the top.
16. Pour water into the baking dish to reach 1/4 inch up the sides of the shells.
17. Bake until the shells are soft and the filling is bubbling up, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
18. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the tops of the filled shells and continue baking until the cheese is melted.
19. Serve hot from the oven, at room temperature, or chilled.

eggplants, kosher salt, extra virgin olive oil, white onion, garlic, ground beef, tomato paste, fresh oregano, red wine, extra virgin olive oil, hard cheese

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beef-and-eggplant-sausage-in-eggplant-shell-casings-389529 (may not work)