Turkish Musakka

Serves 4–8

Prep. time 20 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

1 pound ground beef

4 medium eggplants, stalks removed

1 tablespoon salça (tomato puree)

1 teaspoon kekik

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Chopped parsley for serving

Ground pepper and salt to season

Rice or mashed potatoes for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the eggplants lengthwise to ½-inch thick.
3. Place them in a baking dish and add the olive oil on top.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes until soft. Let cool and make 4 pieces from each slice.
5. Heat a dash of olive oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the onion and peppers and stir-cook until soft and fragrant.
7. Add the garlic and meat; stir-cook until it starts releasing juices and turning brown.
8. Mix in the kekik and paprika. Add the tomatoes and stir-cook for 5 minutes until they soften.
9. Add the salça and 3 tablespoons water; combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
10.        Season to taste with ground pepper and salt.
11.       Add the eggplant slices and meat mixture to a baking dish along with 1 cup of hot water.
12.        Bake for about 20 minutes until the mixture starts bubbling.  
13.        Let cool and top with the chopped parsley, if desired.
14.        Serve with mashed potatoes or rice (optional).