Layered Eggplant Casserole (Tepsi)

5 from 20 votes

This Iraqi Eggplant Casserole is known as "Tepsi." Sliced veggies, including eggplant, are layered with seasoned meat patties and cooked in a tomato sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern

Servings: people

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Ingredients

3 lbs kofta
1 large eggplant (sliced into ⅛" rings)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
cooking spray
2 large potatoes (sliced into ⅛" rings)
3 firm Roma tomatoes (sliced into ⅛" rings)
1 large bell pepper (sliced into ⅛" rings)
1 large onion (sliced into ⅛" rings)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sumac (optional)
¼ cup Italian parsley (chopped)

Sauce

1 cup water
3 ounces tomato paste
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon citric acid (sour salt)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375-Degrees F

Sprinkle sliced eggplant with half of the salt and place it on a napkin-covered cookie sheet. This will allow the eggplant to sweat and release its bitter juices.
Next, make the kofta mixture using my kofta recipe. Shape the meat into kofta kabob-shaped portions. Quickly brown on both sides in a large pan. Don't cook all the way through as they will continue to cook in the casserole.
Slice the potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions into rings. Do not mix as they will be added as separate layers. Lightly fry the potatoes on both sides in a few tablespoons of oil.
Coat a 9" x 13" casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer the potato rings along the bottom of the dish. Lightly season with some of the remaining salt, black pepper, and sumac powder. Layer and season the tomatoes, bell pepper, and onions. Top with the kofta patties/kabobs.
Pat the eggplant slices dry and lightly sprinkle with black pepper. Saute in the same pan using the cooking spray. Or you can fry them in oil if you prefer. Add the eggplant as the last layer. Sprinkle with parsley, optional. Set the eggplant casserole aside as you work on the sauce.

Prepare Tomato Sauce

Add water to a small saucepan. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth. Stir the salt, black pepper, and citric acid into the sauce. Add cayenne pepper, if using. Bring sauce to a boil and pour evenly over the casserole.

Baking Instructions

Cover the eggplant casserole with foil and bake for one hour.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the layered eggplant casserole with Vermicelli Rice.

Notes

The potatoes don't have to be cooked all the way through as they will continue to cook in the oven.
Smaller eggplant may be used, you will just need to use enough to cover the entire dish.
To lower the fat content of the recipe you can spray the eggplant with cooking spray and bake them instead of frying them in oil.
Feel free to skip the parsley if you wish (like I did) or sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish before serving.
Tepsi is sometimes prepared by shaping the kofta into small patties that are arranged standing in the dish and alternated with eggplant, and tomato slices.

Nutrition