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Stuffed Aubergine with Feta

A Middle Eastern twist to the classic stuffed aubergine, garnished with pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley and toasted pinenuts.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Aubergine, Beef, Middle Eastern, Summer
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Stuffed aubergines:

  • 3 large aubergines halved lengthways
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium onions finely chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 500 g minced beef
  • 1.5 cup passata
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 200 g Greek feta
  • Salt and black pepper

Chickpeas with mint-garlic yogurt:

  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups Greek yoghurt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • Handful of chopped mint
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil

Garnish:

  • pomegranate seeds
  • chopped parsley
  • 50 g toasted pinenuts

Instructions

Prepare the aubergines

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a shallow oven tray with parchment paper.
  • Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1cm border. Roughly chop the aubergine flesh and set aside. Place aubergine skins on the tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the oven. Bake in the oven until soft, about 30 minutes.

Make the Beef Filling

  • Heat a dash of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine flesh. Sautee until soft and golden. Add the onion and saute for a further 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minute. Add in all the spices and cook until aromatic. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Increase the heat, add some more olive oil if needed and brown the beef mince. Stir with a wooden spoon to break the beef mince up. Lower the heat and stir in the tomato pasta sauce and paste and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Return the aubergine spice mixture to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baking the Aubergine

  • Remove aubergines from the oven and spoon beef mixture into the skins. Top with the feta cheese and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Bake until hot and golden.

Chickpea with mint-garlic yoghurt sauce:

  • For chickpeas with mint-garlic yoghurt sauce, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
  • To serve, layer the mint-garlic yoghurt sauce over a large platter. Gently transfer and place the aubergine on top of the yoghurt. Garnish with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pinenuts. Serve with a classic Middle Eastern fattoush salad.