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Musaka’a (roast aubergines with spiced chickpeas and tomatoes)
Serves Serves 4 as part of a meze Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines (around 600g)
- 2tbsp light olive oil, plus extra for the aubergines
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1x 400g can plum tomatoes
- 1x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2tsp white sugar
- ¼tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼tsp ground allspice
- ½tsp ground cumin
- extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
- coriander, chopped, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the aubergines into quarters then slice them into 2.5cm chunks. Place in a baking tray, drizzle with some oil, sprinkle over a pinch of salt and then toss to coat.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, fry the onion in a large saucepan in 2tbsp oil until soft and golden (around 15 minutes). Add the garlic and fry for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, chickpeas, sugar, spices and some salt and pepper.
Fill the tomato can up with just-boiled water and add that to the pan, too. Cover and cook for a further 30 minutes, until the chickpeas are very soft. Add the aubergines to the pan and cook for a final 10 minutes, splashing in some more hot water if the dish looks a little dry.
Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature before drizzling over plenty of extra virgin olive oil and scattering with coriander.
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