Moussaka diali مسقعۃ ديالي

For more information on Moussaka, click here


Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef


3 ripe tomatoes


1 lb eggplant (4-5 medium sized ones)


1 onion

grated mozzarella cheese

Labna middle eastern style yogurt spread Ziyad brand

2 garlic cloves

thyme

basil

salt, pepper

olive oil

Method:

Peel and slice eggplants sautee/ brown them slightly in a frying pan with olive oil

Slice tomatoes

Chop onion and blend in food processor with 5 (small handful) fresh basil leaves and a touch of marjoram

Crush garlic cloves and add them to a frying pan. Brown beef in frying pan with garlic

...

Layer ingredients in a casserole dish or a Tajine or in a creuset in the following manner:

Line the bottom with tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil.

Arrange some eggplants on top, sprinkle some thyme, salt and pepper.

Spread on some blended onion/basil

Add some ground beef

Add Labna yogurt by cutting pieces off of a spoon, arranging pieces evenly

Add layer of grated mozzarella

Repeat

Bake in oven (medium heat) or grill until cheese browns

Fried Green Tomatoes- easy version

While this video certainly offers some exhaustive instructions on how to make fried green tomatoes, my version is simpler and less time consuming.


Ingredients:


Green tomatoes

Buttermilk

Cornmeal based fish fry (cornmeal, corn flour, spices)

olive oil

garlic powder

Salt and Pepper

Method:


Slice green tomatoes


Put slices in bowl with buttermilk and let them soak for a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge



Put olive oil in fry pan on medium heat (hot enough to fry-oil will crackle and spit with the addition of water)


Sprinkle a bit of garlic powder to taste



Coat each side of the buttermilked tomato slices in the fish fry mix, place in hot oil and turn so each side is "golden brown"



Serve with hot sauce or cool Ranch dressing (you can use the buttermilk to make some fresh!)