Eggplant fatteh with meat filling and tasty toppings
Flavoured with aromatic, warming allspice, sweet-spicy cinnamon, as well as nutty and slightly sweet pine nuts, this eggplant fatteh with meat has a lot of depth and flavour. Made with lamb, the earthy qualities of the spices are more pronounced as the taste of this gamey meat enhances them. With beef, the umami flavour of the meat itself is more prominent. Regardless of which juicy, tender minced meat you choose to use, this classic dish with fried bread is filled with flavour as well as different textures to make it interesting.
Decorative, jewel-like pomegranate seeds, fried onions, and toasted pine nuts adorn the tahini yoghurt atop this eggplant fatteh and make for crispy, crunchy toppings. The pairing of sweet-tart fruitiness, umami, and nutty goodness makes for a delectable combination that complements the spiced eggplant, meat, and savoury, yet sweet-tangy, tomato sauce.
Delicious yoghurt tahini dressing
To complement the crunchy toppings, an eggplant fatteh must be topped with a velvety yoghurt-based dressing. Flavouring it with a Middle Eastern classic like tahini is incredibly tasty. The intense sesame paste's nutty, salty flavour pairs well with the round, mild-tasting neutral yoghurt.
Together, these lovely ingredients create a creamy, flavourful eggplant fatteh yoghurt to slather on top of the dish. The nutty flavours of this dressing also serve to highlight the taste of the toasted pine nuts used both in and on top of it.
Crisp, fried Arabic bread
The best eggplant fatteh recipe is, of course, not complete without the crispy bread. Arabic flatbread is an ideal choice for this obligatory fatteh bread base. Though some recipes will suggest toasting or grilling the bread, we believe the best, crispiest result is by frying it.
Flatbread lends itself well to serve as a base and garnish for an eggplant fatteh as layering the dish with this type of bread is easier than with more voluminous kinds. Flatbread also becomes incredibly delicious and crispy when pan-fried.
Put a spin on the classic Middle Eastern dish
A tasty way to experiment with this traditional eggplant fatteh is to add warm chickpeas. Soaking dry chickpeas and boiling them yourself allows you to flavour them any way you like. Try boiling them in spice-infused water with bay leaves, ground cumin, sliced garlic cloves, and a bit of sumac for spiced chickpeas with earthy and citrussy notes as well as plenty of depth.
If you enjoy crunchy textures and want to introduce even more into this lamb or beef and eggplant fatteh, you can fry the boiled chickpeas in a bit of olive oil to make them slightly crispy.
For additional freshness, you can use fresh parsley as a garnish. This mildly bitter and peppery herb, together with the pomegranate seeds, serves to brighten the dish. In addition, the play of colours created by the mix of ruby-red seeds, bright green herbs, and white tahini yoghurt, makes for a stunning display that is sure to impress your family and iftar guests.
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