One Tray Potatoes and Stuffed Aubergines (Fırında Patates ile Karnıyarık)

August 28, 2019

One Tray Potatoes and Stuffed Aubergines (Fırında Patates ile Karnıyarık)

Potatoes, good. Aubergines, good. Meat, good. All of these ingredients feature heavily in both Cypriot and Turkish cuisine, and I love how the potatoes in this dish soak up all the oils and juices from the oily spices and spiced meat when cooking. This recipe makes double the amount of meat sauce required so I often freeze the remaining amount for next time to cut the process down a little.

INGREDIENTS

4 large potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthways

4 large onions, peeled and quartered

250 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 large aubergines, sliced in half lenghthways

6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 tbsp tomato purée

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

500ml boiling water

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp olive oil

Good pinch of salt and pepper

FOR THE MEAT SAUCE

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 large onion, peeled, finely chopped

500g beef mince

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pul biber

1/2 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tsp tomato purée

200ml boiling water

METHOD

Preheat oven (fan) to 180C.

Put potatoes, onions, tomatoes and garlic cloves in a deep roasting tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and add parsley. In a jug mix together the boiling water, tom purée, spices and pour into tray. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle a little olive oil over aubergines, rub in with hands, score a few shallow lines flesh side, then place in tray, on top of everything, skin side up. Cook for an hour (make the meat sauce), turn over, flesh side up, for 15-20 mins more.

For meat sauce, heat sunflower oil in pan on medium heat and soften onion for 6-8 mins. Add mince and brown for 5-10 mins. Add spices, garlic, parsley and cook for 1-2 mins before adding chopped tomatoes, purée and boiling water. Take out 1/2 of the sauce and leave to one side (as extra/ to freeze for next time).

Cook for 5-10 mins until sauce reduces a little. Once aubergines have been cooking flesh side up for 15-20 mins, take out tray, scrape flesh a little and spoon equal amounts of sauce into each aubergine. Top with sliced tomato and green pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and pop back in oven for 20 mins or so. Serve with yoghurt.

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