Sheikh el mahshi

Method

Slice aubergines lengthwise into thin sheets, salt them lightly and leave for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture, then fry in olive oil until golden and set aside. Finely dice one onion and sauté with minced lamb, garlic, cinnamon and allspice until the meat is browned, then stir in pine nuts and cook for a further 2 minutes. Dice the remaining onion and tomatoes, then sauté together with tomato paste in olive oil to create a sauce base, seasoning with salt and pepper. Layer the fried aubergine sheets in a baking dish, alternating with spoonfuls of the meat mixture, then pour the tomato sauce over the top and around the sides. Cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 35-40 minutes until the aubergines are very tender and the filling is cooked through. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.