Aubergines with Tomatoes

Name: Aubergines with Tomatoes (Moussaka)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Palestinian
Ingredients: 800 g (1 lb 2 oz) large aubergines (eggplants); 1 tsp salt, plus extra for salting the aubergines; 1 tsp salt, plus extra for salting the aubergines; 200 ml (scant 1 cup) olive oil; 1 large onion; 4 tomatoes; 1 tbsp finely chopped green chilli; ½ tsp black pepper; ½ tsp ground allspice; 120 ml (½ cup) tomato juice

Moussaka

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 30

Appears in

Classic Palestinian Cuisine

By Christiane Dabdoub Nasser

Published 2026

About

Rihawi aubergines, organic tomatoes and olive oil from the grove represent the best that Palestine has to offer. A successful moussaka is savoured to the very last mouthful, especially if you are lucky enough to soak up the last trace of sauce with fresh kmaj or tabun bread.

Ingredients

800 g (1 lb 2 oz) large aubergines (eggplants)

Asia
Palestine
Side dish
Dinner
Gluten-free
Vegan
Low carb

Method

Peel the aubergines and cut them across into slices about 5mm (¼ inch) thick. Sprinkle generously with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. This step is important to reduce the amount of oil absorbed by the aubergines.

Pour most of the oil into a frying pan, setting aside about 3 tablespoons. Once the 30 minutes are up, pat the aubergine slices dry, then fry over a medium heat, a few slic