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 mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Aubergine, Beef, Middle Eastern, Summer
Servings: 4
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
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.
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.