Köfteli Patlıcan Bohçası

Meatball Eggplant Pockets 

• 2-3 slender Asian Eggplants
• Frying Oil
• Long wooden toothpicks or short skewers
• ½ Green Bell Pepper, sliced
• 2 small Tomatoes, sliced
• ½ lb. Ground Beef
• 1 Onion, finely diced
• 2 slices Bread, cubed
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 Egg
• ¼ tsp. Salt
• 1/8 tsp. Black Pepper
• ¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• ¼ tsp. Cumin
• 3 sprigs Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 2 T. Tomato Paste for sauce
• 1 c. Hot Water for sauce

1. Wash Eggplants, strip peel, and remove ends. Slice Eggplant thinly lengthwise. Soak in Salt Water for 15 minutes.
2. While Eggplant is soaking prepare the meat patties by kneading together the Ground Beef, Onion, Bread cubes, Garlic, Egg, & Seasonings well. Once mixed well, form into small patties that easily fit on your palm (should make about 8 patties). Set aside.
3. Strain Eggplant strips and allow to dry on a paper towel. (Discard salt water.)
4. Heat Oil in a frying pan and carefully fry each Eggplant strip evenly on both sides until golden brown. Then place on a paper towel to catch Oil drippings. (The key here is to not stack them too high because than the bottom strips will become soft and mushy as they steam.)
5. Place 2 freshly fried Eggplant strips like a plus sign on a plate or your working surface.
6. Place a small meat patty on top of the center of the Eggplant (where each piece intersects).
7. Fold up the Eggplant sides, starting with the top piece so that the Eggplant forms a pocket around the meat patty.
8. Lift up the Eggplant pocket and insert a skewer through the center of the bottom so the pointy tip pokes out the top.
9. Place a Tomato slice through the skewer on top of the Eggplant pocket.
10. Place a small piece of Green Pepper through the skewer on top of the Tomato. Place prepared pocket in a baking dish.
11. Once all pockets are prepared, mix together the Tomato Paste and Water to form a sauce to pour over the top of all of the pockets.
12. Bake at 365^oF for 40 minutes or until meat is finished cooking (internal temperature measures 165^oF).
13. This dish is best served hot on a bed of Rice Pilaf.

Eggplants ready to thinly slice

Making thin slices

Soaking the Eggplant strips in salt water

Ready to mix the ingredients for the meat patties

Frying the Eggplant strips

Ready to assemble the Pockets

Final step before baking: pour tomato water over the Pockets

Ready to serve