Eggplant fatteh (Fatteh bi batenjan)

Fatteh is a very popular peasant dish eaten all over Lebanon. It is traditionally prepared with bread, chickpeas, garlic-tahini-yoghurt sauce and fried pine nuts. However, over the centuries it has evolved to hero many ingredients such as eggplant, lamb and chicken to name a few.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g (1½ cups) dried chickpeas
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggplants
• sea salt flakes, to taste
• neutral oil, for deep-frying
• plain flour, for dusting
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 rounds Lebanese bread, torn into tortilla chip-sized pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 520 g (2 cups) Greek yoghurt
• 3 heaped tbsp tahini
• ½ lemon, juice
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 40 g (¼ cup) pine nuts

Resting time: 2-3 hours

This recipe needs to be started 1 day in advance

Instructions

1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and add 1 litre of water and the bicarbonate of soda. Stand overnight.
2. The following day, cut the tops off the eggplants and slice off some of the skin along the length of the eggplant like a zebra pattern. Cut into 1.5 cm–thick rounds and place in a colander with a large pinch of salt and toss to coat. Stand for 2-3 hours or until some of the moisture has been released.
3. Drain the chickpeas and place in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover well. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender, skimming any froth from the surface as they cook. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
4. Fill a large, heavy–based saucepan with 3 cm oil and place over high heat. Dust the eggplant slices in flour, then cook in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a wok or large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the torn Lebanese bread and toss the bread until crunchy and golden. Place on a large serving plate, sprinkle with a little sea salt and set aside.
6. Combine the garlic, yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice and 60 ml (¼ cup) water in a bowl until smooth, creamy and slightly runny.
7. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the warm chickpeas keeping a little bit of water in them and scatter over the top of the toasted Lebanese bread - the bread helps soak up the liquid from the chickpeas. Place the fried eggplant slices on top of the chickpeas, then drizzle over the yoghurt dressing and sprinkle with cinnamon.
8. Heat the remaining tablespoon of ghee in a small frying pan over medium high heat. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown. While still very hot, pour the pine nuts and ghee over the top of the yoghurt - it should sizzle. Serve immediately.
   
   

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.