Moussaqa’a

Ingredients

3 large eggplants
¼ cup olive oil and peanut oil mixture
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
12 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
salt and pepper
about ¾ cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup chopped fresh mint

 Method

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Peel the eggplants and cut length-wise (about ½ inch thick). Brush both sides with the oil mixture and place on a baking sheet. Roast until golden brown, about 15 minutes in total, flipping them over halfway. Remove to cool completely.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper. Allow to come to a boil. Add the drained chickpeas to the tomato sauce. Lower the heat and leave to simmer and thicken slightly (about 5 minutes). Lastly, stir in half the amount of pine nuts and set aside.

To serve, put one slice of roasted eggplant on a platter, spoon the tomato chickpea sauce over the thicker side and fold over to cover the filling. Proceed with the other slices. Garnish with mint and the remaining toasted pine nuts. Serve with a salad. Moussaqa’a can also be a great side dish with any grilled meat.