Tomato and Eggplant Fatteh

Tomato Eggplant Fatteh

A delicious and textured Middle Eastern dish featuring crispy fried pita, golden eggplant, a spiced tomato sauce, and a creamy yogurt-tahini mixture.

Ingredients:

• 2 long eggplants

• Salt (for draining the eggplant)

• Oil for frying

• 4 ripe tomatoes

• ½ jalapeño, finely diced

• 1 small thumb of ginger, grated

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• Black pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

• 2 pita breads

• Handful of nuts (such as pine nuts or almonds)

• Fresh parsley, chopped

• Pomegranate seeds

  
  

For the Yogurt Mixture:

• 4 heaping tablespoons of yogurt (Arabic, Desi, or Greek)

• ¼ cup tahini

• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

• A small pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Eggplant:

   • Peel the eggplants and cut them into cubes.

   • Place the cubes in a bowl, sprinkle generously with salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess water.

   • After 30 minutes, pat the eggplant dry and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Make the Yogurt Mixture:

   • In a bowl, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.

3. Prepare the Tomato Mixture:

   • Peel the tomatoes and dice them.

   • Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the jalapeño, ginger, and garlic for a minute until fragrant.

   • Add the diced tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and chicken bouillon powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and mix until combined.

   • Add the fried eggplant and mix well. Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and stir. Set aside.

4. Crisp the Pita Bread:

   • Tear the pita bread into irregular pieces.

   • Fry in hot oil for 5-6 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

5. Assemble the Fatteh:

   • In a serving dish, layer the fried pita bread at the bottom.

   • Add the tomato-eggplant mixture on top.

   • Spoon the yogurt mixture over everything.

6. Garnish and Serve:

   • Decorate with toasted nuts, extra fried pita, fresh parsley, pomegranate seeds, and a few small pieces of fried eggplant.

   • Serve immediately and enjoy!