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Bourbon Pear Dessert Pizza
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Main
Mediterranean Eggplant & Lamb Bake
This dish feels like something you’d order at a cozy little Mediterranean café, but it’s surprisingly easy to pull together at home. The roasted eggplant turns silky and tender, wrapping around the juicy seasoned beef like little pockets of comfort. Then everything gets baked in sauce and covered in bubbly cheese because honestly… life is better when cheese gets involved. It’s rich, saucy, comforting, and somehow still feels wholesome at the same time.
Prep 25 minCook 45 minTotal 70 min1 servingsMedium460 calories
Directions
Roasted eggplant slices wrapped around seasoned beef, baked in rich marinara sauce, and finished with melty mozzarella and fresh herbs for a hearty Mediterranean comfort dish.
- 1.Roast the Eggplant
- 2.Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange the eggplant slices on parchment-lined baking trays without overlapping. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 18–20 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- 3.Make the Beef Filling
- 4.While the eggplant roasts, combine the ground beef, diced onion, garlic, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. If using rice, mix it in here as well. Form the mixture into 6–8 equal patties or balls.
- 5.Build the Eggplant Pockets
- 6.Remove the eggplant from the oven and let cool for about 1 minute. Lay one slice across your palm, then place a second slice over it in an “X” shape. Place a beef patty in the center and fold the eggplant slices over the top to create a sealed pocket. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- 7.Assemble the Bake
- 8.Spread the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish. Add the orzo and chicken stock and let simmer for 12 minutes or until the orzo is cooked. Arrange the eggplant pockets on top of the sauce in a single layer.
- 9.Bake
- 10.Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake at 425°F for 22–24 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling.
- 11.Add the Cheese
- 12.Remove the cover and top the pockets with mozzarella cheese and chili flakes. Broil for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
- 13.Serve
- 14.Finish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil before serving. Delicious on its own or paired with rice or high-protein rice for an extra filling meal.
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