{Ramadan Special} – Fattet Makdous by Areej of ‘On My Table’

Arabic kitchen is very famous with variety types of Fattah’s , Fattet Hummus , Fattet jaj (chicken fattah), Fattet lsanat  (lamb or beef tongs fattah), fattet foul akhdar (green feva beans fattah), fattet makdoos (which is my recipe for today ) and many  more of other kinds of yummy fattah style dishes. Fattah in arabic language refers to any layered dish that has fried or toasted bread pieces as the first layer, topped with a layer of any kind of sauce that cooked with protein; chicken, lamb or beef, sometimes it is just a vegetarian like in fattet hummus,  then the last layer which is my favorite yummy layer that contains a garlic flavored tahini and yogurt sauce. For today’s  Fattah recipe; it is a special version of fattah that has mini eggplants that were fried then stuffed with a sautéd meat and nuts then dipped and cooked with a tomato sauce, a very yummy Fattah that explodes with flavors, I bet that you will keep your fork around and keep picking of it every once a while through out the day.

Fattah  considers as one of the most popular dishes that is served on the time of the holy month of Ramadan, where the families gathere up for food at Iftar time (the sunset time), it is mainly served as an appetizer or a side dish. What makes the Arabean Ramadan table  special is the variety of food that served at Iftar time like Fattah’s , home made pickles shawrbah (soup),  salatah (salad), Sambosa , and of course the main dish, which make Ramadan’s Iftar to look like a daily joyful celebration and gathering up time for the family and friends.

Fattet Makdous (Stuffed eggplant layered dish)

To prepare this very yummy dish just follow the steps bellow;

INGREDIENTS:

(yields for 3 to 5 people)

Layer 1

• 3 pita breads, cut them up then fry them using canola oil or you can just toast them inside oven

Layer 2

• 6 pieces mini eggplants,
• 300 gm grounds meat beef or lamb
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1\4 cup pine nuts toasted
• 3 large ripe tomato peeled and finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp tomato past
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Layer 3

• 2 cups yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp Tahini sauce
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 garlic gloves ,smashed
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

• 2 Tbsp of finally chopped parsley
• toasted nuts pine nuts or almond or both

PREPARATION:

• First of all fry your bread pieces and let them a side.
• Using a knife make a pocket in each eggplant piece side, then use your fingers to put salt inside each piece pocket, (that will help the excess water inside the eggplant to run out which helps the eggplants not to soak so much oil during the fry process) let the eggplant to set a side for about an hour until the water comes out, then deep fry them then. let them to set a side until preparing the stuffing mixture.
• Over a medium heat start to soften the chopped onions in 1 tbsp olive oil, add the minced garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add the grounded meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the meat turn brown and the water runs out. Remove from heat, and add the toasted pine nuts. Stir to mix and set aside to cool down then fill the eggplants through the pocket with the meat stuffing mixture and set a side.(if you fill the eggplant and still you have filling mixture simply you can add it to the tomato sauce after preparing it )
• To prepare the tomato sauce; over a medium heat add a 1 Tsp of olive oil to the pan then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and the tomato paste, then stir fry them until you have a lightly thick sauce add the stuffed  eggplants pieces and let them all simmer together for about 10 minuets.
• To prepare the last layer just combine tahini, yogurt,lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper together and set aside for about 15 minutes so the flavors will infuse and mix together.
• To assemble this Fattah, start withe the fried bread pieces as a first layer, top them with the tomato sauce but with out the eggplants (you should take the eggplants out from it) then the tahini yogurt sauce, now top the yogurt sauce with the eggplants pieces and garnish with parsley and toasted nuts.

Note:
I prefer to prepare this dish 15 minutes prior Iftar time so to enjoy the crunchy texture of bread. enjoy.

Thank you Areej for being part of this event and introducing this wonderful recipe.