Messa'a (Egyptian Eggplant in Tomato Sauce)

1Preparation

1. Peel the eggplant in stripes and cut it into 1 cm rounds.
2. Brush the eggplant slices with oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt.
3. Chop the onion, slice the peppers and crush the garlic.
4. Blend the tomatoes until smooth.

2Cooking

1. Spread the eggplant on an oven tray and roast until golden and soft, turning halfway.

   ♨️ oven 220°C⏱ 25 min timer
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot and fry the onion and peppers until soft.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 6 min timer
3. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 1 min timer
4. Add the blended tomatoes, cumin, black pepper and salt and simmer until slightly thickened.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 10 min timer
5. Layer the eggplant in a baking dish and pour the sauce over it.

   ⏱ 2 min timer
6. Bake until the sauce is thick and oil glistens on the surface.

   ♨️ oven 190°C⏱ 20 min timer

3Serving

1. Let it settle for 10 minutes before serving.
2. Serve hot or cold with baladi bread and white cheese, or with rice.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: frying the eggplant in lots of oil — it soaks it all up and the dish turns heavy. Roasting gives the same result with far less oil.
• Don't slice the eggplant too thin, or it will dissolve into the sauce.

🔁 Substitutions

• For a meat version, layer 300 g cooked minced beef between the eggplant slices.
• Add 1 tbsp white vinegar to the sauce for a tangier taste.