Batoursh

Name: Batoursh
Ingredients: 3 eggplants, weighing about 1 1/2 pounds; 4 tablespoons vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil; 2 onions, chopped; 1 pound ground lamb or beef; Salt and pepper; 1/4 cup pine nuts; 2 cups plain whole-milk or thick strained yogurt (see page 110), at room temperature; 3 tablespoons tahina (sesame paste) (optional); 2 cloves garlic, crushed

9 ingredients

9 steps

Ingredients

3 eggplants, weighing about 1 1/2 pounds
4 tablespoons vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound ground lamb or beef
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups plain whole-milk or thick strained yogurt (see page 110), at room temperature
3 tablespoons tahina (sesame paste) (optional)
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Directions

1

Cook the eggplants under the broiler or roast them in the oven, then peel, chop, and mash them to a puree (see page 63).
2

Beat in 2 tablespoons of the oil.
3

Fry the onions in the remaining oil in a large skillet until soft.
4

Add the ground meat, salt, and pepper and cook, crushing the meat and turning it over, for about 8 minutes, until it changes color.
5

Add the pine nuts and cook 5 minutes more.
6

Set aside, and reheat just before serving.
7

Beat the yogurt with the tahina, if using, and garlic.
8

To serve, spread a layer of the eggplant puree (warm or at room temperature) at the bottom of a serving dish.
9

Pour the yogurt on top, and cover with the hot ground meat and pine nuts.