Another take on a famous Middle Eastern favorite starter. I hope you enjoy making it and get to try it.
Ingredients
- 3 Italian eggplant (medium size)
Brushing oil
- Olive oil and Aleppo pepper
Meat filling
- 300g/10oz minced beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 tbs. Olive oil
- 1/8 tsp. Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. 7 spice
- Salt to taste
Yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbs. Lemon juice
- 1 tbs. Tahini
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Dry mint.
- 1 tbs. Water.
- Salt to taste.
- Topping:.
- Fried pine nuts and fresh mint.
- Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, score with a knife and sprinkle with salt to help the moisture come out. Set aside.
- While the eggplant are getting cured with the salt start working on the filling. Sauté 1 onion with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until tender add the meat and break it down with a spoon and stir, once the meat browns add the spices stir and cover. Cook on low until the meat is tender and the juices are dried.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Pat the moisture off the eggplant with a paper towel, brush generously with the olive oil and Aleppo mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Make the yogurt sauce by whisking the ingredients listed.
- Time to assemble: spread the yogurt sauce top with roasted eggplants then spoon the filling on top and in between top with fried pine nuts and fresh mint. Enjoy.