bohemianwanderer – This roast aubergine pie combines spiced Egyptian rice, vine leaves, herbs, and tomato with tender roasted aubergine. The recipe serves six people and requires about 20 minutes of preparation. It takes approximately two hours and 15 minutes to cook, followed by 20 minutes of cooling.
Begin by preparing two large aubergines weighing about 900g in total. Cut the aubergines lengthways into slices approximately ½cm thick.
Preheat the oven to 220C, or 200C for a fan oven. The equivalent temperature is 425F or gas mark 7.
Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper. Arrange the aubergine slices across the trays in a single layer.
Brush the slices generously with olive oil. Sprinkle salt over both sides of the aubergine before placing the trays in the oven.
Roast the aubergine for 20 minutes. Turn the slices once halfway through cooking to ensure both sides become evenly golden.
Remove the aubergine from the oven once the slices are golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 200C, or 180C for a fan oven.
The equivalent temperature is 390F or gas mark 6. Line a high-sided oven dish measuring approximately 22 x 35cm with baking paper.
Prepare the filling while the roasted aubergine cools slightly. Place 10 to 12 vine leaves in brine into a large bowl after rinsing and drying them.
Roughly chop the vine leaves before adding them to the bowl. Add one finely chopped red onion weighing about 150g.
Add three large crushed garlic cloves to the mixture. Season with two teaspoons of baharat, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, and one-third teaspoon of black pepper.
Add two tablespoons of tomato paste and two tablespoons of pomegranate molasses. Stir in two tablespoons of lemon juice.
Bake the Aubergine Pie With Spiced Rice Filling
First, line the base of the prepared oven dish with just under half of the roasted aubergine slices. Arrange them at a slight angle while allowing them to overlap slightly.
Next, make sure the aubergine completely covers the base of the dish. Then, spoon the prepared rice filling over the aubergine layer.
After that, spread the filling evenly across the dish. Finally, cover the rice completely with the remaining roasted aubergine slices.
Again, arrange the aubergine slices with slight overlaps. This will create a complete top layer that seals the filling beneath it.
Meanwhile, prepare the cooking sauce by combining 900ml of boiling water with 80ml of lemon juice. Then, add two tablespoons of tomato paste to the mixture.
Next, season the sauce with one and a half teaspoons of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk everything together until you fully incorporate the tomato paste.
Once the sauce is ready, slowly pour it over the aubergine layers. Make sure the liquid spreads evenly across the entire surface of the bake.
Afterward, cover the oven dish tightly with tin foil. Then, place the dish on an oven tray to catch any liquid that might escape during cooking.
Finally, bake the covered dish for approximately 90 minutes. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has absorbed and the rice has become completely tender.
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Remove the dish from the oven once the rice has cooked through. Keep the foil in place and leave the pie to rest for 20 minutes.
After resting, carefully remove the foil. Place a large serving platter over the oven dish before carefully turning the pie over.
Invert the dish carefully so the aubergine pie transfers onto the platter. Remove the baking paper if necessary.
Finish the pie with pomegranate seeds and several picked parsley leaves. The fresh pomegranate adds sweetness and acidity to the rich spiced aubergine and rice.
