Lebanese Moussaka (Maghmour)
This no frills dinner can be served as a main with rice or, more traditionally, room temperature as part of a mezze spread.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 1 large aubergine (about 400-425 grams) cut into ½ inch rounds
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 400 gram tin of tomatoes or 400 grams fresh tomatoes
- 75 millilitres water
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- pinch or two ground cinnamon
- 400 gram tin of chickpeas, drained or 100 grams dried chickpeas, cooked
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- Handful of fresh parsley leaves chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250° Celcius (475° F). Use some of the olive oil to brush both sides of the aubergine (eggplant) slices and bake for about 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook a further 10 minutes. If the aubergine are finished cooking before you complete the next step, remove from the oven and set aside until you do.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large pan or medium saucepan and fry the onions for 5-6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, tomato paste, sugar, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the roasted aubergine and chickpeas to the sauce. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir the pomegranate molasses through just before it's finished cooking.
- If serving as a main, dish up with rice and/or bread. If you intend to serve this as part of a mezze spread, let the moussaka cool to room temperature first. Garnish with parsley.