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5 from 2 votes

Eggplant Fatteh

Crispy pita, golden eggplant, warm spiced sauce, creamy yogurt-tahini, and crunchy toppings—this dish is a celebration of texture and flavor.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Levantine, Syrian
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the base

  • 2 small pita bread cut into bite size squares
  • 1/4 tsp sumac
  • ¼ tsp Aleppo pepper optional, for dusting
  • Vegetable oil for frying or air frying as needed

For the eggplants

  • 750 g eggplants cut into cubes
  • 1 tsp salt for drawing moisture

For the beef mince (if using)

  • 250 g beef mince
  • ½ tsp salt* (or to taste)
  • ½ tsp Salma’s spice mix*
  • ½ tsp Aleppo pepper

For the tomato sauce

  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil

For the yogurt-tahini sauce

  • 500 g plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 1 small garlic clove minced
  • ¼ tsp salt* or to taste

For the toppings

  • Toasted almonds and/ or pinenuts
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Hot ghee (optional, traditional)

Instructions

Prep the eggplants

  • Sprinkle cubed eggplants with 1 tsp salt and spread in a single layer on a kitchen towel. Let sit for 30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Blot dry. Fry or air fry until golden.

Fry the pita

  • Fry or air fry pita cubes until golden and crispy. Dust with sumac and Aleppo pepper while still hot.

For the beef mince (if using)

  • In a pan, brown beef with oil. Add salt, spice mix, and Aleppo pepper. Cook until fully done. Set aside.

Make the tomato sauce

  • In a small pan, heat oil and sauté onions until soft. Add tomato paste and pomegranate molasses, then boiling water. Simmer until thickened. Season with salt.

Mix the yogurt sauce

  • In a bowl, whisk yogurt, tahini, garlic, and salt until smooth. Bring to room temperature before assembling.

Assemble the fatteh

  • On a serving plate: layer the pita chips, followed by eggplant, beef (if using), tomato sauce, and yogurt sauce. Finish with nuts and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle hot ghee if desired (careful—it splatters!).

Notes

  • Traditionally, eggplants and pita bread are deep fried. I usually air fry them. Read post above for more on this.
  • I use coarse sea salt in all my cooking, change quantities accordingly depending on the type of salt you use.
  • All components except the pita can be prepared ahead. Reheat the eggplant, beef, and tomato sauce; bring yogurt to room temp; and assemble just before serving.
  • Salma’s spice mix is a spice mix created by grandmother (Salma) and we use it a lot in our cooking. CLICK HERE for the recipe.