EatSen · Recipes
Eggplant Musakka, one of the indispensable flavors of traditional Turkish cuisine, is prepared by layering fried eggplant slices with a seasoned ground meat and tomato sauce, then baking in the oven. The harmony of golden-crisp, tender eggplant with a rich ground meat sauce makes for a perfect main course when served alongside rice pilaf.
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per serving
Wash the eggplants and trim off the stems. Cut lengthwise into slices approximately 1 cm thick. Arrange on a baking sheet, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, and let sit for 20 minutes. During this time, the eggplants will release their bitter liquid. Then pat dry with paper towels.
Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices until golden on both sides. Transfer the fried eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil if needed.
Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and sauté the thinly sliced onions over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened.
Add the ground meat to the onions. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 6-7 minutes until fully browned.
Add the finely chopped garlic and tomato paste to the meat. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste becomes fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes, water, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. The sauce should thicken.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Arrange half of the fried eggplant slices side by side in a rectangular baking dish (25x35 cm) to form the base. Spread all of the ground meat sauce evenly over the top. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices in a crisscross pattern over the sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. The top should be lightly golden and the sauce bubbling. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve hot.
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