Mafroum: Libyan-Style Stuffed Vegetables

Stuffing:

1. 1 pound very lean ground beef or lamb
2. 1 to 2 medium onions, grated
3. 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
4. 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
5. 2 large eggs or 1/2 cup pareve egg substitute
6. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
7. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
8. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
9. About 1/4 cup matzah meal

Vegetables:

1. 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
2. 2 to 3 large boiling or all-purpose potatoes
3. Vegetable oil for frying
4. All-purpose or unbleached white flour
5. 1 to 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce:

1. 1 large onion, thinly sliced
2. 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3. 3 cups water
4. Salt, ground black pepper, and cinnamon to taste

For the stuffing, combine all the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl, and mix very well with your hands until the mixture is quite smooth and well blended. (A food processor may be used for this step.) Set the stuffing aside.

Peel the potatoes; then cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Slit the slices almost in half, as with the eggplant.

In a large Dutch oven, soup pot, or very large, deep skillet, heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. Lightly coat each sandwich with flour, then the beaten egg. Fry the sandwiches in the oil, in batches, until they are golden brown on both sides. Set them aside on a plate. (If desired, the recipe may be prepared ahead of time up to this point, and the sandwiches refrigerated until about an hour before serving time.)

For the sauce, pour all the oil from the pot except about 1 tablespoon (or add more oil, if necessary). Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it is tender. Stir in the tomato paste, water, and seasonings to taste. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Carefully add all the fried sandwiches to the sauce, trying to have no more than two layers. The sauce should almost, but not completely, cover them. Add a bit more water, if necessary.

Cover the pot, and simmer the vegetable sandwiches for about 1 hour, or until they are tender and the meat is cooked through. Occasionally baste the top vegetables with some of the sauce.

To serve, use a slotted spoon to remove the stuffed vegetables from the pot to a serving platter. If the sauce seems too watery, quickly boil it down until it reaches a thicker consistency. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Pour some of the sauce over the vegetables, and serve the rest on the side.