This Sheikh el mahshi (eggplant & meat filling) is so incredibly savory and delicious! Made with eggplants stuffed with minced meat and pine nuts, cooked in tomato sauce and topped with cheese .
Clean the eggplant and cut in half. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Place the eggplants in the pan, brown evenly until all sides are golden brown. Transfer onto a baking sheet.
In the same frying pan, add 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly translucent. Add the ground lamb, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring continuously, until the meat is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the seasonings are entirely incorporated.
In a small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the pine nuts and cook them, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown. Transfer half the amount of pint nuts to the meat mixture, and turn the heat off. The other half of pine nuts will be used for garnish.
To prepare the sauce: Mix the tomatoes in the mixer then put it in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of pepper and add a cup of water and leave until boiling, then remove from the heat and drain.
Arrange the eggplant in the baking sheet . Stuff 1 tablespoon of the filling into each eggplant and gently press the filling. Take another tablespoon of the filling and stuff this over the the first tablespoon of filling so that it sits on top of each eggplant. Pour the tomato sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for five minutes.
Brown vermicelli in butter in pan. Add drained rice. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
Stir in salt and water. Turn to high and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to a simmer.
Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
Serve Sheikh El Mahshi warm, over rice and garnish with toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients
Directions
Clean the eggplant and cut in half. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Place the eggplants in the pan, brown evenly until all sides are golden brown. Transfer onto a baking sheet.
In the same frying pan, add 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly translucent. Add the ground lamb, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring continuously, until the meat is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the seasonings are entirely incorporated.
In a small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the pine nuts and cook them, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown. Transfer half the amount of pint nuts to the meat mixture, and turn the heat off. The other half of pine nuts will be used for garnish.
To prepare the sauce: Mix the tomatoes in the mixer then put it in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of pepper and add a cup of water and leave until boiling, then remove from the heat and drain.
Arrange the eggplant in the baking sheet . Stuff 1 tablespoon of the filling into each eggplant and gently press the filling. Take another tablespoon of the filling and stuff this over the the first tablespoon of filling so that it sits on top of each eggplant. Pour the tomato sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for five minutes.
Brown vermicelli in butter in pan. Add drained rice. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute.
Stir in salt and water. Turn to high and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to a simmer.
Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
Serve Sheikh El Mahshi warm, over rice and garnish with toasted pine nuts.