Stuffed aubergine with spiced meat & tahini sauce

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Step 2

Drizzle 4 Tbsp olive oil over the cut side over the aubergine halves. Sprinkle a little salt on top and place them on the baking sheet, cut side up. Bake in the middle of the oven until starting to colour, around 20 minutes. They don't need to be completely softened. Set aside to cool for 5–10 minutes.

Step 3

At the same time, heat a thick bottomed frying pan over medium/high heat. Fry the onion in the olive oil, stirring regularly, until starting to colour, 10–15 minutes.

Step 4

Add the minced meat and salt to the onion. Continue frying for a few minutes while chopping up the meat roughly.

Step 5

Add pine nuts, garlic, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, cinnamon and isot biber. Fry for two minutes while stirring constantly. Add 150 ml (⅗ cup) water, mix well and leave to simmer until the water has nearly evaporated, 4–5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Take off the heat.

Step 6

Turn the oven down to 200 °C.

Step 7

Make the tomato sauce by mixing the tomato paste and boiling water until homogenous.

Step 8

Make a length-wise incision into the aubergines, making sure not to cut through the skin. Use two spoons to slightly "open" the aubergine halves, giving them a pear shape. For this reason, I like to do them in alternate directions.

Step 9

Divide the filling among the aubergines. Pour the tomato sauce on the baking sheet, around the aubergines (but not over). Cover with foil or a lid and bake in the middle of the oven until the aubergines are completely soft, around one hour. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Step 10

Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce by mixing tahini, lemon juice and cumin. The sauce will thicken. Thin with water, one tablespoon at a time, until you've got a sauce a little thicker than double cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 11

Serve the stuffed aubergines warm (but not scorching hot), drizzled with tahini sauce and sprinkled with fresh herbs and pul biber chili flakes.