Although I've written about them before, peppers and eggplant deserve another article because there are so many great dishes that you can make with the two.

Do you still have the mushroom garlic sirene spread recipe (appeared August 24)? I hope so, because this recipe is even better if you add two or three roasted peppers. Puree the peppers with the other ingredients, and you have pepper, mushroom and garlic sirene spread.

If you were insolent and lost this recipe, email me and maybe I'll send it to you, unless you're one of those evil meat eaters that sent me nasty messages.

Stuffed eggplant is another delicacy that you can make only in the fall.

This was a pleasant surprise that I prepared for a small dinner party. There were only three people, but we devoured the stuffed eggplant, and even had room for dessert.

A pasta casserole is another great dish that you can make with peppers and eggplant. This was an experiment out of my kitchen that I'm sharing with you. Tofu was used in this casserole, but chicken, pork, or ground beef can be used as well. If you use meat, cook the meat separately from the vegetables. If you have a strong hatred towards certain vegetables, then substitute with others you like better.

A good topping for the pasta casserole is grated cheese. You may use kashkaval, but I suggest using the Rhodope blend cheeses. These cheeses have a Rhodope label, and are blends of kashkaval and western cheeses. Sirene parmesan is a great choice.

Eggplant will disappear soon, so eat all you can and enjoy these recipes.

Stuffed Eggplant

1 very large eggplant, or 2 small/medium sized eggplants
2 small zucchini, peeled and grated
2 tomatoes, grated
2 peppers, roasted and finely chopped
Salt
1 small bunch fresh parsley (magdonos), chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons oil

Directions: Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and take out insides with a spoon. Take the insides, puree with hand-held mixer, and then place into a strainer to drain. Add salt and allow draining for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle salt on the two hollowed halves and tip them upside down to drain for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off eggplant. Fry the insides of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and peppers in oil for about 10 minutes at medium-high heat. Stir so that ingredients blend. Take pan from heat and add parsley. Mix well, then fill eggplant halves. Pour a little water into the bottom of a large pan and place stuffed eggplant into pan. Bake in the oven for about one hour at 175°C.

Zesty Vegetable Pasta Casserole

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped into small cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
600g tomatoes, pureed with hand-held mixer
5 roasted peppers, finely chopped
12 fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
250-300g chopped tofu, chopped chicken, or ground beef
250g spiral pasta
100g kashkaval or other cheese, grated
5 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
Basil (bosilek)
Black pepper
Oregano
Red pepper
Salt
2 tablespoons oil

Directions: Place oil in frying pan, then fry garlic and onion for about three minutes at medium high heat. Then add eggplant, mushrooms, tofu, peppers, and spices to taste. Fry for an additional 5-7 minutes. Then add pureed tomatoes (add already cooked meat here). Cook until boiling point, and then simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Stir mixture with already cooked pasta in large bowl. Place in a large, greased pan. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 175°C, or until done.

Joseph Herr is a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer currently working in Balchik. His column appears weekly and he can be contacted at jdherr75@sabreshockey.com