Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Moussaka
Ingredients
- 6 medium eggplants
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 500 grams ground meat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 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 baking dish suitable for serving.
Using a sharp knife, peel the eggplants in stripes without removing the stem.
In a deep skillet, heat oil to about 2 inches deep over medium heat until hot.
Fry the eggplants until golden brown, then drain on paper towels and let cool slightly.
Make a slit in the side of each eggplant to create a pocket for the meat mixture.
In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat, add ground meat, and cook until all water evaporates.
Add 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 the remaining meat mixture in the baking 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.
