Sheik El Mahshi (lamb Stuffed In Aubergines Casserole)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 750 g baby aubergines
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon oil
• 200 g lamb mince (ground)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 50 g pine nuts, roasted
• 400 ml hot water
• 75 g tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to gas mark 6/400f/200°c.
• 2 wipe clean the aubergines and leave the neck on.
• 3 heat some butter or oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergines until lightly browned on all sides then lift out and set aside.
• 4 to prepare the stuffing:.
• 5 heat the butter in the same pan, add in the onions and fry them till brown.
• 6 add the minced meat, season with the spices and salt and pepper and give it a good mix.
• 7 fry the meat for about 10 minutes and then add in the pine nuts and remove from heat.
• 8 split each aubergine lengthwise from one side.
• 9 stuff the pockets with the meat mixture and place them in an oven proof baking dish.
• 10 sprinkle any remaining stuffing over the aubergines.
• 11 to prepare the sauce, heat water in a separate pot and add in the tomato paste and bring it to a boil and season with salt and both peppers.
• 12 now carefully (do not want to upset the stuffing!) pour the sauce over the stuffed aubergines.
• 13 top each aubergine with a slice of tomato.
• 14 place the baking dish in the centre shelf of the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• 15 remove from oven and serve hot with rice.