2 large eggplants/aubergines 2-2½ lbs/1-1.1kg total
½ cup (8 tablespoons/120ml) olive oil, divided
2 large onions
6 cloves garlic peeled and minced, divided
1 lb (450gms) ground beef or lamb
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons fine sea salt divided
1 teaspoon pepper divided (preferably white pepper)
3 medium potatoes ~1 lb/450gms total
3 medium tomatoes ~¾lb/350gms total
4 tablespoons (¼ cup/60ml) tomato paste
a sprinkle of ground cayenne pepper optional
2 cups (480ml) water
**Directions**
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Slice the eggplants crosswise into ½ inch (1cm) slices. Roast them to prepare them for the dish. Alternately you can pan-fry them in batches in a skillet until they are golden brown on both sides. Plan to use about 6 tablespoons of the oil for the eggplants and divide it out accordingly (reserve 2 tablespoons for the onions and meatballs).
Pour about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a large rimmed cookie sheet and brush it evenly around. Layer as many eggplant slices as can fit in a single layer (about half of them), and brush the tops lightly with some more of the olive oil.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops of the slices are lightly browned, then flip the slices over and brush the tops lightly with some more oil. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown again. Remove the roasted eggplant slices to a bowl and repeat with the remaining eggplant slices. Set them aside (or refrigerate them if you’ve roasted them ahead to make the casserole the following day).
While the eggplants are roasting, cut the onions into quarters and slice crosswise. Heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet and cook the onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add about ⅔ of the chopped garlic (4 cloves) and cook for 1 more minute. Scrape the onions into a bowl. Don’t wash the skillet.
Mix together the ground beef, the remaining ⅓ of the minced garlic (2 cloves), coriander, cumin, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Shape the mixture into 1″ (2.5cm) meatballs. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet the onions were cooked in, and brown the meatballs on all sides – they do not have to be cooked through. Set aside, saving any of the juices accumulated in the skillet.
Stir together the tomato paste, water, cayenne (if using), and remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
In a large deep casserole dish or baking dish, layer half of the onions, then half of the potatoes, then half of the eggplants, then half of the tomatoes. Repeat. Tuck the meatballs in all over the top, pushing aside any tomato or eggplant slices so the meatballs fit down in among them.
Add any juices left in the bowls from the vegetables and meatballs. Pour the tomato sauce over the layered ingredients.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or a lid. Bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover the Tepsi Baytinijan and continue baking it for another 20-40 minutes, until the juices are bubbling all around the edges of the dish and you can feel that the potatoes are tender when pierced through with a knife.
Remove from the oven and push down any crispy bits of eggplant into the juices in the dish to moisten them. Serve with rice or flatbread and a green salad.
5 Comments
**Ingredients**
2 large eggplants/aubergines 2-2½ lbs/1-1.1kg total
½ cup (8 tablespoons/120ml) olive oil, divided
2 large onions
6 cloves garlic peeled and minced, divided
1 lb (450gms) ground beef or lamb
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons fine sea salt divided
1 teaspoon pepper divided (preferably white pepper)
3 medium potatoes ~1 lb/450gms total
3 medium tomatoes ~¾lb/350gms total
4 tablespoons (¼ cup/60ml) tomato paste
a sprinkle of ground cayenne pepper optional
2 cups (480ml) water
**Directions**
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Slice the eggplants crosswise into ½ inch (1cm) slices. Roast them to prepare them for the dish. Alternately you can pan-fry them in batches in a skillet until they are golden brown on both sides. Plan to use about 6 tablespoons of the oil for the eggplants and divide it out accordingly (reserve 2 tablespoons for the onions and meatballs).
Pour about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a large rimmed cookie sheet and brush it evenly around. Layer as many eggplant slices as can fit in a single layer (about half of them), and brush the tops lightly with some more of the olive oil.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops of the slices are lightly browned, then flip the slices over and brush the tops lightly with some more oil. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown again. Remove the roasted eggplant slices to a bowl and repeat with the remaining eggplant slices. Set them aside (or refrigerate them if you’ve roasted them ahead to make the casserole the following day).
While the eggplants are roasting, cut the onions into quarters and slice crosswise. Heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet and cook the onions until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add about ⅔ of the chopped garlic (4 cloves) and cook for 1 more minute. Scrape the onions into a bowl. Don’t wash the skillet.
Mix together the ground beef, the remaining ⅓ of the minced garlic (2 cloves), coriander, cumin, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Shape the mixture into 1″ (2.5cm) meatballs. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet the onions were cooked in, and brown the meatballs on all sides – they do not have to be cooked through. Set aside, saving any of the juices accumulated in the skillet.
Stir together the tomato paste, water, cayenne (if using), and remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
In a large deep casserole dish or baking dish, layer half of the onions, then half of the potatoes, then half of the eggplants, then half of the tomatoes. Repeat. Tuck the meatballs in all over the top, pushing aside any tomato or eggplant slices so the meatballs fit down in among them.
Add any juices left in the bowls from the vegetables and meatballs. Pour the tomato sauce over the layered ingredients.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or a lid. Bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover the Tepsi Baytinijan and continue baking it for another 20-40 minutes, until the juices are bubbling all around the edges of the dish and you can feel that the potatoes are tender when pierced through with a knife.
Remove from the oven and push down any crispy bits of eggplant into the juices in the dish to moisten them.
Serve with rice or flatbread and a green salad.
Looks great!
Patlican?
This looks delicious!
yum!!