Zucchini Eggplant Mina (Savory Layered Pie)

Imagine a vegetarian lasagna made from layered matzah, zucchini, and eggplant. You’ve imagined mina, a delicious dish of Sephardic origin. Mina makes a great vegetarian entrée during the week of Passover, but it’s also good throughout the year when you want something meatless yet satisfying.

The mina can be assembled ahead of time to the point before pouring the egg-tomato “sauce” over the filled matzah layers. The eggplant filling is also great on its own, spread over matzah—you may want to double the filling recipe and keep some in the fridge to have on hand for the week.

SERVES 8

Zucchini Filling

3 cups grated zucchini (about 1 pound)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts only, very thinly sliced

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

Freshly ground black pepper

Eggplant Filling

1 large eggplant (about 1½ pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

Kosher salt

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons tomato paste

4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped; or 8 canned whole plum tomatoes, drained

¼ to ½ teaspoon allspice

Pinch of crushed fennel seeds

Freshly ground black pepper

6 matzahs

1 cup vegetable stock

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

¾ cup good tomato sauce

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

To make the zucchini filling, place the zucchini in a colander and toss with ¼ teaspoon salt. Place the colander in the sink and allow the zucchini to drain for 20 minutes. Squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the parsley, dill, mint, scallions, and eggs. Season with pepper and stir to blend. Set aside.

To make the eggplant filling, place the eggplant cubes in a colander and toss with salt. Place the colander in the sink and lay a sheet of parchment or wax paper on top. Weigh the eggplant down with heavy cans and allow it to drain for 30 minutes. Remove the cans and paper and gently rinse the eggplant to remove any bitterness and salt. Dry well with paper towels.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the eggplant and sauté until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the tomatoes, allspice to taste, and fennel seeds and sauté until the tomatoes fall apart and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil an 8 x 12 x 3-inch baking dish.

To assemble the mina, place the matzahs in a deep baking dish. Pour ½ cup of the stock over them and allow the matzahs to soften, about 3 minutes. Take 2 of the matzahs and layer them to fully cover the bottom of the greased dish. Lightly brush olive oil on those matzahs and spread the eggplant filling on top. Lay 2 more soaked matzahs over the eggplant and brush with oil. Spread on the zucchini filling, and top with the 2 remaining matzahs. (You can prepare the dish up to this point 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate.)

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup stock, eggs, tomato sauce, and nutmeg and beat with a fork to blend. Pour over the mina. Bake until firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Allow the mina to rest for 10 minutes, cut it into squares, and serve.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro

This is Sweet Potatoes 101—with flair. We make this all the time after work because it requires virtually no prep work and the potatoes go well with just about any main dish. Dollop some yogurt on top for added richness and creaminess.

SERVES 4

4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), unpeeled, scrubbed

Juice of 2 limes

½ cup packed chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a standard baking sheet with foil, place the potatoes on it, and roast until they yield to the touch, 1¼ to 1½ hours.

Score the potatoes crosswise and squeeze gently at the ends to open up the potato skin.

Drizzle the potatoes with the lime juice, sprinkle with the cilantro, and serve immediately.