A comforting dish featuring roasted aubergines (eggplants), bell peppers, chickpeas and tomato-garlic sauce. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and perfect as a main or part of a mezze spread. The method merges the version you provided (with green peppers) with classic Lebanese approaches from various sources.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 2 medium aubergines (eggplants)
- 2–3 long green peppers (thin-fleshed variety if possible) or 2 medium bell peppers
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can chopped tomatoes or 400-500 g fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp sumac or ½ tsp each cinnamon + paprika + cumin for spice depth
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- Olive oil for roasting & sautéing
Preparation
1. Roast the aubergines
- Preheat your oven to 200 °C (about 390 °F).
- Wash the aubergines and pierce their skins a few times with a fork. Cut into large chunks (about 2-3 cm pieces) or slices as you prefer.
- Toss with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 30–40 minutes, until the aubergine is soft and golden.
- When done, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
2. Prepare the peppers
- While the aubergines are roasting, prepare the green peppers: wash, de-seed by cutting off the stem end and removing membranes/seeds. If using long peppers, cut in half lengthwise.
- Place them on a tray, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle salt, and roast under the grill (or at 200 °C) for 20–30 minutes, until slightly browned and tender.
3. Make the tomato-chickpea sauce
- In a large deep pan or wok, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, stir to combine. Pour in about ½ cup water.
- Season with salt, pepper, sumac to taste. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered or partially covered, until slightly thickened.
- Add the chickpeas, stir them in, and simmer for another 10 minutes so they soak up flavour.
4. Combine everything
- Add the peeled roasted aubergine chunks to the sauce. Stir carefully so the aubergine integrates without breaking completely.
- Add the roasted peppers, cut into large pieces if halved earlier, into the pan for the last 5–10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. If the sauce seems too dry, add a little more water.
5. Serve
- Spoon the moussaka into a serving dish. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
- This dish is excellent warm, room temperature, or even chilled, making it very versatile for buffet-style or mezze.
- Serve with warm pita bread, or as a main alongside steamed rice, or part of a wider spread of Mediterranean dishes.
Why this recipe works
By roasting the aubergine and pepper, you get deep flavour and great texture without excessive oil. The tomato-garlic sauce builds the core taste of the dish, chickpeas add hearty texture and protein, and the optional spices ensure it retains that authentic Lebanese character. The method allows flexibility—serve as main, side, warm or cold. It sits beautifully on a table of mezze or stands alone as a satisfying vegetarian main.