Tepsi Baytinijan (تبسي بيتنجان) — Iraqi Eggplant Tray Bake

• 500 gground lamb (15 to 20 percent fat)
• 1yellow onion (finely grated, about 150 g after trimming)
• 3 clovegarlic (finely grated)
• 10 sprigflat-leaf parsley (leaves finely chopped)
• 2 tspIraqi baharat
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspground black pepper
• 3large eggplants (about 900 g total, cut into 1 cm rounds)
• 500 gYukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 7 mm rounds)
• 3ripe tomatoes (about 450 g total, cut into 7 mm rounds)
• 1green bell pepper (seeded and sliced into rings)
• 75 mlneutral oil (for brushing and shallow roasting)
• 70 gtomato paste
• 1 cancrushed tomatoes (400 g can)
• 240 mlwater
• 1.5 tbsptamarind paste
• 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 4 cupcooked timman rice
• 4 tbspamba pickle

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220 C and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush the eggplant and potato rounds on both sides with 60 ml of the oil, then arrange them in single layers so they roast rather than steam.

2. 2

   Roast the eggplant and potatoes for 22 minutes, turning once after 12 minutes, until the eggplant is lightly browned and the potatoes are just tender at the edges. Remove the trays from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 190 C for the final tepsi bake.

3. 3

   Put the ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, parsley, 2 tsp Iraqi baharat, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper in a bowl. Mix firmly for 1 minute until slightly sticky, then shape into 18 small meatballs of about 28 g each.

4. 4

   Warm the remaining 15 ml oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs for 4 minutes, turning them so they color on several sides. They do not need to cook through, because they will finish in the tomato sauce inside the tray.

5. 5

   Whisk the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water, tamarind paste, lemon juice, 1 tsp Iraqi baharat, turmeric, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper in a bowl until smooth. The sauce should taste tangy and savory now, because the potatoes and eggplant will absorb some of its brightness during baking.

6. 6

   Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of a 33 x 23 cm baking dish, then layer in the eggplant, onion rings, tomato slices, bell pepper rings, and browned meatballs. Pour the sauce evenly over the tray, shaking the dish gently so the sauce settles between the layers without crushing the vegetables.

7. 7

   Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more until the sauce bubbles and the top is lightly caramelized. Rest the Tepsi Baytinijan for 10 minutes before serving so the slices hold together and the sauce thickens.

8. 8

   Serve the tray hot with cooked timman rice and a spoonful of amba pickle on the side. In many Iraqi homes, leftover sauce is also scooped up with warm samoon, especially when the tray is served for a relaxed family lunch.