AUBERGINE FATTEH

By Miriam Pataki

It was January the 2nd and we were watching tv together, which we normally don’t do because the children own the televisions here. There she was the food goddes Nigella Lawson! She was making something delicious and I was watching every move. 

Since I want to eat vegetarian I was figuring out how I could replace the ground beef in the best way, maybe with other vegetables.... but I chose to use vegan ground ‘beef’ from our local supermarket Albert Heijn. 

The same evening I went to the supermarket and got the ingredients to try it out my way and it was absolutely delicious, even the girls liked it, I didn’t tell them there is aubergine in it because they wouldn’t have eaten it.

Fatteh means crumbs, and this dish is a variation of several leftovers put together. In Egypt they call it 'Fatta' and it’s been made for an Iftar during the ramadan. 

Ingredients:

• 4 pitta breads, cut into triangles.
• For the aubergine layer;
• Olive oil 
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 large aubergine chopped into little squares. 
• 2 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp paprika powder + some on top at the end. 
• Keltic sea salt (or normal sea salt will do too)
• 300 grams vegetarian ground beef
• Some water

Topping:

• Layer olive oil 
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 300 grams Greek yoghurt
  if you replace this for vegan yoghurt you’ll have a vegan dish

• Juice from 1 lemon 
• 3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pomegranate seeds 
• Toasted pine nuts 
• 1 tbsp shredded mint leaves 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C.
2. Spread the pitta triangles out on a large baking sheet and toast in the until they are crisp. 
3. To make the topping, put a little layer olive oil on a small pan and warm the garlic up, don’t let it fry just let it to the point they won’t be totally raw. Put the yoghurt on top and let it warm up, not let it cook. Then put the lemon juice, sea salt flakes in it. 
4. To make the aubergine- non beef layer, warm the oil in a wide saucepan and cook the onion, stirring until soft and a pale caramel colour. 
5. Turn the heat up to medium, add the aubergine cubes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 
6. Put in the cumin, coriander powder and sea salt flakes. Turn the heat up to high, add the Vega beef and use a fork to break it up a little and add some water against dryness. 
7. arrange the crisp pitta triangles on a large round plate. Top with the aubergine mixture, followed by the yoghurt-tahini sauce. Sprinkle with paprika powder to give a light dusting. Put the pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts on top and strew with the finely shredded mint leaves. Eat with your fingers!

Hopefully this will be your favorite dish as it is mine.