Authentic Turkish Moussaka with Eggplant
Ingredients
- 6 medium eggplants
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 500 grams ground meat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mixed spices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed chili
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For serving
- Fried pine nuts
Preparation
Set the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Prepare a medium-sized oven dish suitable for serving.
Using a sharp knife, peel the eggplants in stripes without removing the stem.
In a deep pan, heat oil to about 2 inches deep over medium heat.
Fry the eggplants until golden brown, then drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.
Make a slit in the side of each eggplant and open to form a small pocket for the meat mixture.
In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat, add the ground meat and cook until all water evaporates.
Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, crushed chili, paprika, cumin, and water, then simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Stuff the eggplants with the meat mixture.
Place any remaining meat mixture in the oven dish, arrange the stuffed eggplants on top, sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, and cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with fried pine nuts and serve with white rice.
