← Nouns Cooking · Lebanese & Turkish

Ingredients

• 3 large aubergines (about 900 g), sliced into 1 cm rounds
• 1 tsp salt, for the aubergines
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 500 g Minced beef
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 400 g chopped tomatoes (400 g can)
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano
• 150 ml Water
• 1 tsp salt, for the sauce
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 2 Tomato, sliced, for the top
• 15 g Parsley, chopped
• 200 g plain yogurt, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Sprinkle the aubergine slices with salt and leave for 20 min, then pat dry. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Brush the slices with 3 tbsp oil, spread them on lined trays and roast for 20–25 min, turning once, until soft and golden.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onion and pepper for 6–8 min. Add the garlic and mince and brown for 6–8 min.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, paprika, thyme, water, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 min until saucy but not dry.
5. Turn the oven down to 180°C (350°F). Layer half the aubergine in a baking dish, spread over the meat sauce, then top with the rest of the aubergine and the tomato slices.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 20 min, then uncover and bake for 10 min more until bubbling. Rest for 10 min, scatter with parsley and serve with rice and a spoon of yogurt.

Tips

• Roasting instead of frying the aubergine keeps it lighter; fried slices are more traditional and richer.
• The yogurt is optional: leave it out for a dairy-free meal.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Turkey’s For Life Ozlem's Turkish Table