Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole

First, take out the yogurt and let it come to room temperature.

Cut up the eggplant into medium sized cubes. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a shallow, wide, large pan on medium-high heat until a sprinkle of salt sizzles when you toss it into the oil. Add the eggplant into the hot oil, and fry them until golden brown. Try not to stir them too much. Turn them only occasionally to prevent smashing the pieces and allowing a crust to form. Then, remove the pan from the heat and remove eggplant from the oil. Set it aside and drain on a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.

In the same large pan, heat up 1 cup of canola oil on medium high heat. Test the heat of the oil by putting a crumb of bread in and make sure it starts sizzling right away before adding a pita. Using tongs, carefully slide the pita into the oil, one at a time. Fry until both sides are a golden brown. Remove the pita from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining pitas. Break up into pieces when cooled, and set aside.

Remove excess oil from pan. Heat up the 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into pieces. Let it get nice and brown, then add the onion and chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Once the onions get softened, add the cans of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Then, add the pomegranate molasses. It should taste a little tart. Mix and let these cook together for 6 minutes, on medium heat. Taste for salt and pepper, you may need to season again at this point.

When it’s all cooked together and seasoned as you like, add the eggplant back into the pan. Carefully mix these together but make sure not to break up the eggplant too much. Let this cook for another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Then turn off heat and prepare for assembly.

In a bowl, combine yogurt with the mashed garlic. It should taste garlicky. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.

In a 13×9 casserole dish, add bottom layer of broken pita pieces. Then, fill the dish with the meat/eggplant mixture. Top with the yogurt mixture. 

Toast pine nuts in clarified butter, in a small skillet on medium high heat. Watch this carefully, nuts brown very quickly. Top yogurt with pine nuts and butter. It will sizzle! Garnish with Italian parsley. Enjoy!