Eggplant Impletata

Bram Stoker, Dracula

I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was ‘mamaliga’, and eggplant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish, which they call ‘impletata”. (Mem., get recipe for this also.)

Eggplant Impletata

Impletata is a traditional Romanian dish, similar to a stuffed eggplant. This recipe will use ground meat as the filling.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 lb ground meat pork, beef or a combination
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 cup of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of uncooked white rice
• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 1/4 cup of parsley chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Method

 

1. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh still attached to the skin. Reserve the eggplant flesh.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground meat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, uncooked rice, warm water, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
5. Mash the reserved eggplant flesh and add it to the skillet with the meat mixture. Stir to combine.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Stuff the eggplant halves with the meat mixture, packing it in tightly.
8. Place the eggplants in a baking dish, and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the eggplants are cooked through and the tops are golden brown.
9. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley or sour cream, if desired.

Notes

Impletata can be served with a porridge made from maize flour, also known as mămăligă. It is a traditional Romanian side dish.