Stuffed Eggplant Rounds with Ground Meat

Wash and pat dry the eggplants, then slice them into rounds about 1 cm thick. Gently pound each piece with a mallet—just a couple of taps to soften them up slightly.

Transfer the ground meat to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and add spices and garlic if desired. Mix everything well and let it rest for a few minutes.

Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture onto each eggplant round, just like spreading butter on toast.

Dredge the prepared pieces first in flour, then dip them into beaten egg.

Fry in a skillet with preheated oil. Place them meat-side down first and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done.