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Fattet Makdous - Stuffed Aubergine Layers

Fatima Sadal - Chef on Rhine
A levantine specialty featuring baby aubergines stuffed with spiced minced meat layered on a bed of toasted pita slathered in Tahini yoghurt.
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 flat pita bread cut in cubes
  • ½ cup pine nuts fried
  • 8 baby aubergines or 3 long thin ones
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp toasted cumin powder
  • salt, pepper
  • 500 ml yoghurt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tbsp tahini
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
  • pomegranate arils, chopped parsley to garnish
  • olive oil and vegetable oil for frying

Filling

  • 350 grams minced beef
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 spice mix

Instructions
 

  • Toast pine nuts in a pan. Set aside.
  • Cut pitas in cubes. Fry in olive oil. Allow to cool.
  • Mix yoghurt with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and chopped parsley. Set aside.
  • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add the meat and stir until dry. Add onion and season with salt, pepper and 7 spices. Cook until fragrant.
  • Peel the aubergines about 1 cm width (leaving some strips of skin on). Make a slit along the side. Deep fry in oil until golden brown or bake until tender.
  • In a cooking pan, add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Carefully place the fried aubergines over the tomatoes, allow to cook for 15 minutes.

Assemble before serving :

  • Arrange the fried bread in a deep serving dish, pour yoghurt on top.
  • Carefully place aubergines over the yoghurt, open the slit carefully with the spoon and stuff with the meat filling.
  • Pour the remaining tomato sauce over it and rest of the minced meat.
  • Garnish with pine nuts, chopped parsley and pomegranate arils.

Notes

  • You can use lamb mince instead of beef or a mix of both.
  • Try to use thin flat pitas so the bread doesnt overpower the dish.
  • You can also bake the aubergines as well as pita pieces in oven instead of deep frying for a healthier version. But frying brings out more flavour!
  • The recipe steps can be divided to save time. You can prepare the stuffing, sauce , aubergines and bread ahead of time but make sure to assemble last min. The bread tends to turn soggy due to the moisture in yoghurt.