Along with Ablama, Steve counts Sheikh-el-Mahshi among his all-time favorite dishes. Not surprisingly, it was also the top seller at his restaurant. Give this classic recipe a whirl and we have a feeling it will become one of yours, too.
SHEIKH-EL-MAHSHI
Ingredients
- 8 Japanese or baby eggplants
- 1 lb Hashwi
- 1 TBL garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomato, diced
- 5 ½ cups Tomato Sauce
- A few handfuls of Toasted Pine Nuts (about 1/2 cup)
Directions:
Prep: Cut off both ends of the eggplant and peel away skin in strips, leaving a strip in between each section that you peel. Once you’ve finished striping the eggplants, create a “butterfly” cut by slicing them in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through the bottom of the vegetable. Put the eggplants in a microwave-safe dish and pour in 1 cup of water. Cover dish with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 9 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in a clean bowl add tomatoes and garlic to Hashwi and mix well.
Cook: Grease a baking pan using ¼ cup of olive oil. Lay butterflied eggplants in the pan with the centers facing up. Top eggplants with Hashwi mixture and cover completely with cooked Tomato Sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until eggplants are tender. Garnish with Toasted Pine Nuts before serving.
Notes: We recommend putting a foil-lined cookie sheet in the oven beneath the eggplant dish to catch any spillover.
