Farro and Mushroom Stuffed Eggplants
This easy stuffed eggplant recipe begins with tender roasted eggplant halves that are filled with a simple stuffing with farro, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and fresh sage. Great as a vegetarian main or as a side next to your favorite protein.
Just spent a delightful couple days in the beautiful Niagara region. We had perfect weather for a little biking, hiking, and a whole lot of wine tasting!
On the way back to Toronto we stopped at one of the many roadside stands that sell not only the amazing stone fruits the region is famous for, but lots of fresh picked vegetables as well.
These baby eggplants caught my eye, perfect for roasting and stuffing with a risotto inspired mixture of farro and mushrooms.
It may seem like there is a lot going on all at once to, but it is actually a quite simple dish to prepare. Once the eggplant “boats” are in the oven and the farro is simmering all that is left to do is sauté the onion, mushrooms, and the flesh of the eggplant for the filling.
The eggplant “boats”
I have used small/baby eggplants, but you can also make this dish with two medium sized eggplants. One small eggplant (2x halves) serves one as a main course, or two as a side. If using medium sized eggplants plan on ½ an eggplant for each person as a main.
To prepare the eggplant; cut the eggplants in half, and scoop out the flesh to form a boat, leaving enough flesh inside the skin so that the eggplant will hold its shapes when roasted. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then place skin-side down on a baking sheet and pop in the oven to roast until soft.
The flesh of the eggplant is roughly chopped then sauteed until golden brown and added to the farro and mushroom filling.
Pulling it all together
The cooked farro is combined with the sauteed onion, mushroom, and eggplant mixture along with a little white wine and fresh sage. The filling is spooned into the eggplant halves, then the filled eggplants are popped back into the oven for a few minutes to warm everything through.
A few fresh sage leaves and some grated or shredded parmesan garnish the finished dish.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 small eggplants or 2 medium
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup farro
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ½ cup water
- 1 small onion peeled and diced
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 200 grams white button or cremini mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh sage chopped (plus whole leaves for garnish)
- Grated or shredded parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplants in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving about a ¼ inch boarder around the skin to form a boat. Roughly chop the scooped-out flesh of the eggplant and set aside.Brush the eggplant halves with olive oil and season the cut side with salt and pepper. Place the eggplants, cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes or until slightly brown. Eggplants should be soft, but still hold their shape.
- While eggplants are roasting prepare the farro.In a medium saucepan bring the stock and water to a boil. Add the farro and reduce the heat to medium-low heat. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, and then cover and cook until farro is fully cooked. Remove from the heat when cooked and set aside until you are ready to add to the rest of the filling ingredients. (See notes for farro cooking times).
- While the eggplants and farro are cooking, prepare the rest of the filling mixture. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the onion and 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped eggplant and season with salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms back to the pan along with the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the white wine, fresh sage, and cooked farro (If any of the farro cooking liquid remains add that as well). Simmer for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should have a “risotto” like consistency. If too dry, add a little stock or water. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350° F.Spoon the farro mushroom mixture into the roasted eggplant halves. return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with grated or shredded parmesan and fresh sage leaves.