Meaty Eggplant Torta

This recipe is quite common, and this is a variation of the regular eggplant torta. My brother, whom we consider as the one who inherited my mother's skills in the kitchen, taught me this recipe sometime ago.

You will need the following ingredients- 5 pcs medium length eggplants, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 finely chopped onion, 1/4 kilo ground beef (or pork), 5 pcs tomatoes chopped,
a dash of ground black pepper, 1 pkt of coarsely ground crackers, 3 whole eggs, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 4 bell peppers cut into strips, 1/2 cup of button mushrooms cut diagonally, a dash of MSG (optional), juice of 3 pcs calamansi, and salt to taste.

Boil or roast the eggplant and then peel off the skin. Flatten the skinned eggplant, letting the excess liquid drain. In a bowl, mix all the other ingredient together to make a thick paste.

In a pan, heat 3 tbsp cooking oil, then spread one of the eggplants in the pan. Put in a liberal thickness of the filling, then cook until the underside browns. Turnover with spatula to cook the other side with the filling.

Serve with hot sauce, ketchup, or mayonaise as dip. Ground beef or pork can be substituted with bits of cooked bacon, ham, or sausages.