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Aubergine fattah

Crispy bread, meat and veg, pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, herbs

Aubergine fattah

Name: Aubergine fattah
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1.5kg aubergines (around 8), cut into 4cm cubes; 500ml vegetable oil for frying; 3 large Lebanese pittas cut into 4cm squares; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion finely chopped; 500g beef mince; 1 tsp Arabic mixed spice or baharat; 2 tsp pomegranate molasses; 500g plain yogurt; 2 tbsp tahini; 3 garlic cloves crushed; 1 tsp pomegranate molasses; ½ lemon juiced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 50g pine nuts toasted; 2 garlic cloves crushed; ½ tsp sumac; 50g pomegranate seeds; large handful of parsley finely chopped

Soha Darwish

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Serves 6 - 8

Easy

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 25 mins

plus soaking

A star rating of 5 out of 5.0 ratingsRate

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Make this Middle Eastern classic for sharing – layer meat or veg with crisp flatbreads and a yogurt sauce before garnishing with pomegranate seeds

High-fibre

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Soha Darwish says, "Fatteh or fattah is an all-time Middle Eastern favourite: it is truly addictive, fun to make and easily takes the centre of the table. I love the fact that it does not need special culinary skills nor any finesse to perfect – it’s a layered dish of crispy fried bread, meat or vegetables, yogurt sauce and a colourful garnish. This is my family recipe for aubergine fattah which I genuinely believe is the best version for this beloved dish".

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1.5kg aubergines

(around 8), cut into 4cm cubes
500ml vegetable oil

for frying
3 large Lebanese pittas

cut into 4cm squares
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion

finely chopped
500g beef mince
1 tsp Arabic mixed spice or baharat
2 tsp pomegranate molasses

For the yogurt

500g plain yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
3 garlic cloves

crushed
1 tsp pomegranate molasses
½ lemon

juiced

To serve

1 tbsp olive oil
50g pine nuts

toasted
2 garlic cloves

crushed
½ tsp sumac
50g pomegranate seeds
large handful of parsley

finely chopped

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Nutrition: (8)

kcal432
fat25g
saturates6g
carbs28g
sugars12g
fibre7g

high
protein20g
salt0.92g

Method

step 1

Tip the aubergine into a bowl and cover with 3 tsp salt. Pour over cold water and set aside to soak for 2 hrs. Drain thoroughly and tip out onto a clean tea towel to dry well. This helps the aubergine absorb less oil when frying and makes them less greasy. If short on time you can skip this step.
step 2

Pour the vegetable oil into a large saucepan ensuring it is no more than a third full and put over a medium heat. Heat until it reaches 170C on a cooking thermometer or a cube of bread dropped in browns in 30 seconds. Cook the pitta, in batches, for 30 seconds to 1 min until golden and crispy. Remove using a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Keep the oil over the heat and next add the aubergine in batches. Fry for 6-8 mins until golden and soft.
step 3

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 mins until the edges are golden. Stir in the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, along with the mixed spice and the pomegranate molasses. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown the meat all over until cooked through, around 10 mins. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt with the tahini, garlic and pomegranate molasses and season to taste with the lemon juice and some salt and pepper.
step 4

To serve, heat the olive oil over medium heat and stir in the pine nuts and garlic. Fry for 3-4 mins, until golden and aromatic. Arrange the fried pitta on a serving platter with the aubergine, sprinkle over the meat, then the yogurt and scatter over the fried pine nut mixture, sumac, pomegranate seeds and parsley. Serve immediately.

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