Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Beef and Feta

First, prepare the eggplants: Halve the eggplants lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a rim about 0.5–1 cm thick. Dice the scooped-out eggplant flesh and the onion into small cubes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and brown the ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and fry over high heat for 3–5 minutes until the meat is crumbly. Then add the diced onion, pressed garlic, and diced eggplant and fry for another 2–3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with water and vinegar and add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency.

While the filling is simmering, preheat the oven to 170 °C and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Place the eggplant halves cut-side down on the sheet, brush with the remaining olive oil, and pre-bake in the preheated oven at 170 °C for 10–15 minutes. Then remove the sheet, turn the eggplants over, and fill them with the now-ready meat mixture. Bake at 165–170 °C for another 25 minutes. Finally, crumble the feta cheese over the eggplants with your fingers and bake for another 5–8 minutes until the cheese is melted.