Louisiana Eggplant Casserole - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 eggplant, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 cup tomato puree
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

Butter a casserole dish and preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
Cover eggplant with boiling salted water; let stand for five minutes; drain well.
Brown onion, bell pepper and meat in bacon drippings until onion is translucent, about five minutes.
Add tomato puree and heat thoroughly.
Add drained eggplant and remaining ingredients.
Place in prepared casserole, cover and bake for 1/2 hour; remove cover, increase temperature to 400F and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown on top.