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1
Place tomato sauce in a 2 qt sauce pan and keep warm until needed.
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2
Bring a 6 quart pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat.
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3
While waiting for the water to boil, prick the eggplant all over, using a fork.
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4
Keep the stem end of the eggplant in place.
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5
Place the pierced eggplants in the boiling water and boil until tender, and easily pierced with a fork.
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6
About 20-25 minutes.
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7
Remove eggplants from water and place in a colander for about 15 minutes to drain and cool off.
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8
When cool, slice eggplants in half, lengthwise, through the stem end.
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9
Scoop out the center of the eggplant (and reserve) leaving approximately a quarter inch of eggplant flesh all around.
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10
Place the scooped out eggplant shells aside.
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11
Chop the reserved eggplant flesh finely and place in a bowl.
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12
Cook the Aborio rice according to directions.
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13
Allow to cool slightly and add to the bowl of eggpant.
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14
Soak the torn bread in the 1/4 cup of milk.
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15
Squeeze out excessive milk and place the milk soaked bread in the bowl with the eggplant and rice.
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16
Add to the bowl of eggplant, the garlic, eggs, cheese,parsley, basil and 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper.
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17
Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients in the bowl.
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18
Use the remaing salt and pepper by sprinkling it into the eggplant shells.
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19
Firmly pack about a 1/3 cup or so of the eggplant mixture into each of the eggplant shells.
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20
You can mound the stuffing slightly, but not much.
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21
Pack it firmly.
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22
You will have some stuffing left over.
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23
Heat about an inch or so of the olive oil in a non reactive pot, to a temperature of 320 degrees.
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24
Working in batches of 2 eggplant halves, lower the first two halves into the hot oil, stuffing side up.
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25
Turn and brown the other side.
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26
When nicely browned, remove from oil and place on absorbent paper towels, stuffing side up, to drain.
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27
Fry the remaining eggplant halves.
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28
In a deep baking dish pour the tomato sauce to a depth of about an inch or so.
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29
Place eggplant in the dish, stuffing side up, and cover with foil.
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30
Bake at 375 degrees until the tomato sauce begins to bubble.
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31
(About 25 minutes.)
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32
Serve hot.