Tepsi Badinjan — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A layered Iraqi casserole of fried eggplant slices, seasoned lamb patties, tomatoes, and potatoes baked together in a tangy tomato sauce until bubbling and golden.

Ingredients

3 large eggplants, sliced thick
500g ground lamb
3 large tomatoes, sliced
3 potatoes, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup water
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1 Salt the eggplant slices, let them rest for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry and fry in oil until golden brown on both sides.
2 Mix the ground lamb with diced onion, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, then form into thin patties slightly larger than the eggplant slices.
3 Layer the fried eggplant, lamb patties, sliced tomatoes, potatoes, and green pepper in a deep baking dish, repeating the layers.
4 Mix tomato paste with water and pour over the layered casserole, then bake covered at 180C for 45 minutes and uncovered for 15 more minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

Did You Know?

Tepsi means tray in Iraqi Arabic, and this dish is one of the most common home-cooked meals in Iraq, with every family claiming their grandmother makes the best version.