# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium eggplants (approximately 8.8 oz each)
02 - 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
03 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Oils & Liquids
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/2 cup water
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Wash eggplants and peel alternating lengthwise stripes. Make a lengthwise slit in each eggplant without cutting through the ends.
03 - Sprinkle eggplants with salt and let rest for 20 minutes to remove bitterness. Rinse and pat dry.
04 - Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until softened, about 8 minutes.
05 - Add minced garlic and chopped green bell peppers, cooking for 3 minutes more.
06 - Stir in diced tomatoes, sugar, sea salt, black pepper, and optional paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat and stir in parsley.
07 - In a clean skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Fry eggplants gently on all sides until lightly browned and softened, about 8 minutes.
08 - Place eggplants in a baking dish. Open the slits carefully and fill generously with the tomato and onion mixture.
09 - Drizzle lemon juice over the stuffed eggplants and pour water around them in the dish.
10 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until eggplants are tender and filling bubbles.
12 - Allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
