Moussaka (also known as) Eggplant Lasagna

I'll tell you one thing that you may not know, but Middle Eastern food can be very similar to Greek food! The Greeks enjoy this recipe as much as Middle Easterners do. It comes in many shapes and forms but Moussaka is a very popular dish. This is one of my favorite summer meals because it can be served hot or cold. So if you're in a hot area of the world, this can be perfect to enjoy without getting heat flashes from eating it. This lovely dinner meal is called "Moussaka" and the name originates from the Arabic word "saqaa", which translates to "chilly" because it's best served cold!

This meal consists of only eggplant, chickpeas, onions, and tomatoes but you couldn't get a yummier dinner than this. Not only is it so flavorful, but it is so nutritious. If you know how to make a lasagna, this dinner is going to be so simple for you to make. You're going to impress your friends and family with this one without a doubt! So, if you love eggplant as much as I do, keep reading to get the recipe!

Yields: 4 people

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan.

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Ingredients:

1. 2 eggplants

2. ½ a large white onion

3. 1 can of 15oz chickpeas

4. 5 beefsteak tomatoes

5. 5-8 garlic cloves (up to your personal preference)

6. 1 TBSP harissa paste (up to your personal preference)

7. Kosher salt

8. Extra virgin olive oil

9. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro

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Instructions:

1. First, preheat your oven to broil on 400.

2. Next, grab your eggplant and slice them into thin strips vertically. You should get 4 slices out of each eggplant.

3. Now, have your tomatoes and onion chopped medium.

4. Make sure your garlic cloves have been peeled: you are not going to mince them. They will be added to the stew in whole pieces.

5. Grab a baking pan, and add the eggplant strips into the pan. Drizzle on olive oil and salt well. Broil until toasted well on both sides.

6. While you're waiting for the eggplant to broil, have a medium sized pot on the stove cooking your stew. In that pot, add 4-5 TBSPS of olive oil. Once it shimmers, add the garlic, onion, and 1 TBSP of harissa. Stir well and once you can smell the aroma of the garlic and onion, add the chopped tomatoes. Add 1 TBSP of salt (or to your liking).

7. After 5-8 minutes you'll notice the tomatoes soften. Once they do, turn the stove off.

8. Take the eggplant out of the oven and remove 4 eggplant strips. Add the tomato onion stew you just made on top. Then layer with the other 4 eggplant strips.

9. Broil in the oven again for 10-15 minutes.

10. While it's broiling, drain and rinse your can of chickpeas. Once the 10-15 minutes are up, add the chickpeas in and broil for 5 more minutes.

11. Have your cilantro finely diced for garnishing. Add salt to taste.

12. Eat with a fork or enjoy with pita bread.

13. Enjoy!

Xoxo,

#averagearabgirl 💋

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