Mutabbak Recipes

MUTABBAL

Steps:

• First you need to roast the eggplant by placing it directly over the fire on your stove top. Roast it for about 15 minutes by turning it from side to side until it's black and the pulp is soft and tender.
• Once the eggplant is done, you need to peel off the skin, and then mash it using a fork or a potato masher.
• Add minced garlic, salt, and juice of a lemon, mix. Then add the Tahini sauce (which is made by mixing the tahini paste with cold water and lemon juice - unless you have used all of the juice in the previous step)
• When serving, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and garnish with Summaq and parsley or crushed mint leaves. Serve warm or cold with pita or taboun bread.

HOMEMADE MURTABAK

Steps:

• Heat a pan with some oil on medium heat. Add in meat, salt and cook until the meat it fully cooked, breaking up the meat as you go. Add in cayenne and cumin powder, continue cooking for 1 minute until the powdery taste is gone.
• Set aside to cool completely before using.
• In a standing mixer bowl, add in all the bread ingredients. Mix to incorporate everything and then knead for 10 minutes. Leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes (cover the bowl with a kitchen towel to prevent it getting dry) and then knead for another 5 minutes.
• Form the dough into a log and cut into 10 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and coat it generously with some soften unsalted butter. Place the balls in a buttered container. Cover tightly with a cling film and leave to rest in the fridge overnight.
• Coat the working surface generously with some soften unsalted butter. Place 1 ball of dough and flatten it with your fingers. Continue pressing and pushing the dough with the heels of your hand to stretch it.
• Stretch it as thin as possible, until you can almost see through it. Now and then spread some soften butter on the dough to help the stretching.
• If you want, you can lift 1 edge of the dough and carefully pull to even stretch it more. You can watch in the video to see it better.
• Put 1 egg in the center of the dough. Break the yolk a bit with your fingers. Sprinkle some chopped onion on the egg, followed by previously cooked meat. Fold the dough into a square, overlapping in the middle and making sure the filling is fully covered by the dough.
• Do the same with the rest of the balls.
• Heat some butter in a pan on medium heat. Place the murtabak and cook for a few minutes until the bottom looks crispy. Flip it and continue cooking for a few minutes on the other side also.
• Best served hot, enjoy!