Sheikh el Mahshi (Aubergines Stuffed with Lamb and Pine Nuts)

Ingredients

• 4 aubergines
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 400 g lamb mince
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 40 g pine nuts
• 500 g passata
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 garlic cloves
• 300 g basmati rice

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, gas 6). Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh deeply in a criss-cross without cutting through the skin. Brush with 4 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and roast cut side up for 25 minutes until soft and golden.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, fry the finely chopped onion in the remaining olive oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the lamb mince, allspice, cinnamon and 1 tsp salt and fry for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and no pink remains. Stir in the pine nuts for the last 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Press down the flesh of each roasted aubergine half with the back of a spoon to make a hollow and fill with the lamb. Sit them in a baking dish.

4. 4

   Mix the passata with the tomato purée, crushed garlic, 150ml water and ½ tsp salt and pour it around the aubergines rather than over them. Bake for 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice and cook in 600ml boiling water with 1 tsp salt, covered, on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve the aubergines on the rice with the sauce spooned over.