Oregano

Papoutsakia, Little Shoes

April  6, 2014
4.5
4 Ratings
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

This classic greek comfort food dish derives it's name from the action of stuffing the eggplant or filling the shoes. There are many different ways to create this dish and this classic combination of eggplant, zucchini, garlic and onion hits the spot!
This recipe has been adapted from Patricia Moore-Pastides' cookbook Greek Rivival, Cooking for Life. —First We Eat

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Ingredients
  • 12 mini eggplant, halved and centers scooped out
  • 4 zucchini, chopped
  • 4 japanese eggplants, chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt for soaking the eggplant
  • 1 cup basil chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Wash the mini eggplants well and keep the stems in tact. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop the centers out. Once you’re finished, dissolve the salt in a bowl of water big enough to submerge all the eggplant halves and put a heavy plate on top to make sure they are completely covered. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Set your oven for 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In the meantime, chop your onion, garlic, additional Japanese eggplant, and zucchini. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion & garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and oregano and continue to cook until vegetables are soft. Add the 3 cups diced tomatoes and juice from the can and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, set to a simmer until the liquids have reduced by about half.
  2. Add olive oil to a baking dish to coat the bottom and sides. Remove the eggplant halves from the water and dry with a kitchen towel. Add the stuffing mixture to the eggplants and put them in the baking dish, covered (aluminum foil works well). Bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove the foil from the baking dish, drizzle more olive oil over the eggplants and bake for an additional 20 minutes. After the additional 20 minutes have passed your eggplants should be soft and caramelized on the outside. Sprinkle the chopped basil and serve. This dish is also good served at room temperature. Enjoy!

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2 Reviews

cucina D. April 6, 2014
I had these years ago in NY... they are fabulous and I owe you many thanks for sharing this traditional Greek recipe to add to my food files! Well done :), can't wait to try them at my next meal.
First W. April 7, 2014
Thank you for your comment! This was a really successful recipe, so beautiful and so delicious. Hope you enjoy!