Aubergine fatteh Aubergine fatteh

Aubergine fatteh

  • 40 mins cooking time
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From the toasted pita base to the colourful and flavourful toppings, our eggplant fatteh brings an unmistakable taste of the Middle East to your kitchen. This classic dish combines a warm, savoury beef sauce and a tangy yet nutty yoghurt sauce, creating mouth-watering tastes with every bite. So reach for a little Lurpak® and chop, fry and arrange this irresistible dish, perfect for family gatherings, festive celebrations, weekend meals and special occasions.
From the toasted pita base to the colourful and flavourful toppings, our eggplant fatteh brings an unmistakable taste of the Middle East to your kitchen. This classic dish combines a warm, savoury beef sauce and a tangy yet nutty yoghurt sauce, creating mouth-watering tastes with every bite. So reach for a little Lurpak® and chop, fry and arrange this irresistible dish, perfect for family gatherings, festive celebrations, weekend meals and special occasions.
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Method

Fatteh base
1
Chop eggplant into small cubes and salt them. Set aside for 5 minutes then pat dry. 
2
In a pan, melt butter and add the diced eggplant. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes until golden and soft. Set aside. 
TIP
You can roast the diced eggplant in the oven or an air fryer instead of in a pan. Just cover them with Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter and roast until golden.
3
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 4. 
4
In another pan melt 2 tbsp of butter. 
5
Brush pita bread on both sides with the melted butter. Cut them into squares and spread them on a large sheet of baking paper. 
6
Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. 
Yoghurt sauce 
1
Mix the yoghurt, garlic, tahini paste and lemon juice together. Season with salt and mix well. The sauce needs to be silky and fluid. You can add water if it’s too thick. Set aside. 
Meat sauce
1
Melt the butter in a sauté pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until they turn almost translucent. 
2
Add the minced beef and cook on high heat until browned and cooked through. Add the spices and tomato paste. Cook for a minute, then add water to create a juicy meat sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
TIP
If you cannot find Arabic spice, mix ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp cardamom, ½ tsp cloves, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp allspice and ½ tsp black pepper.
Assembling and toppings
1
Arrange the pita bread and the eggplant as the base on a serving dish. Top with meat sauce and pour yoghurt sauce over to cover the entire dish. 
2
Prepare the toasted pine nuts. Melt butter in a pan and add pine nuts. Cook until golden. Pour over the fatteh immediately while hot. 
3
Garnish with parsley, pomegranate seeds and sumac. Serve immediately and enjoy. 
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Make the day with an eggplant fatteh

Cook up a Middle Eastern classic with our beef and eggplant fatteh. Featuring a nutty yoghurt sauce and meat with warm spices, this dish is a true delight. With little effort and time, you can create this authentic symphony of flavours and textures that is a feast for the eyes and taste buds alike.

A flavourful combination of yoghurt and meat sauce

The layers of this dish come together seamlessly – from the crispiness of buttered, toasted pita to the hearty warmth of spiced beef crowned by a cooling garlic-infused tahini yoghurt. For many of us, comfort food is characterised by succulent sauces and soft, juicy textures full of warmth. And there is comfort in every bite of the combination of our yoghurt and meat sauces, eggplant and pita in this fatteh. Enjoy the aroma of nutty tahini, garlic, butter-fried onion and tangy tomato sauce mixed with classic, traditional Middle Eastern spices. It's a feast for the senses!

If you want to indulge in more savoury dishes, we have some suggestions. Try this lamb rack with a delightful herb crust or this delicious cheese fatayer. You can also try our recipe for baked eggplant with feta and pomegranate.

Ideas for varying the recipe

Like many recipes, this one leaves room to play. Read on to find ways to mix things up. So strap on your apron and start experimenting.

As for the spices, you can always add more than the recipe states. For example, sprinkle dried chilli flakes on top for an extra kick.

For a sweeter touch with strong roots in Middle Eastern cuisine, elevate your fatteh with drizzled pomegranate molasse for a delicious combination of acidity and sweetness. You can also use mint instead of parsley to give the dish a refreshing twist and swap pine nuts for almond slivers for an alternative nutty flavour with sweeter notes.

For a version without meat, swap the beef for chickpeas. Follow the recipe for the sauce, cooking the chickpeas in the same way with onion, tomato and spices.

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Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter

Slightly Salted Butter

With Lurpak® by your side you’re always ready to cook, bake and fry up wonders, cook. With its delicate taste, Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter enhances the flavour of whatever food you add it to. From a hearty pasta dish, your showstopper fruit pie, to some simple rustic crushed potatoes, its subtle notes complement every creation you rustle up in the kitchen. For people who love Good Food, Lurpak® makes it even better. Now sleeves up. Today we cook bold.

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