Stuffed Eggplant Casserole

Heat 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil in a 9-inch skillet. Add the ground beef and cook until brown and crumbly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the grated onion and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, grated nutmeg, and finely minced jalapeño, 1 teaspoon of the tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Remove 1/2-inch wide vertical strips of peel all around the eggplants, leaving 1-inch sections of peel between them. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Cook the eggplants, tightly covered, until the flesh is golden and tender, about 15 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking. Cool on racks over paper towels.

Discard the oil from the skillet. Add the chopped onion, chopped garlic, bay leaf, and chopped green bell pepper. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring. Dissolve the remaining 2 teaspoons of tomato paste in 1/2 cup of water, add it to the skillet, and cook for 1 minute longer. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Set aside.

Press open one of the striped sides of each eggplant to form a small cavity. Spread the meat filling in each eggplant, using about 2 tablespoons per eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the vegetable sauce on the bottom of a 12-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed eggplants in the dish and top with the sliced tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley and serve.