"Maghmour" (eggplant stew) and Za'atar Foccacia

I was a weird kid. I had an early adoration for vegetables in all of their healthy (or fried) glory. I didn't want Nutella sandwiches for lunch-- I wanted lentil rice pita sandwiches with sweet hot chili sauce and tomatoes. Extra tomatoes. Gotta have the tomatoes.

In tribute to my mom's great recipe  and the love she instilled in me for vegetables, I want to share with you a recipe I prepared for maghmour. It is a deceptively luxurious, layered eggplant and chickpea stew that excited me every time my mom prepared it on crisp Spring days. It traditionally features the flavor of loads of garlic and is served at room temperature with crusty saj bread.

This time I took a different approach and added the Spanish spice, Pimenton de la Vera, or smoked hot paprika, for an additional element of depth in flavor. I'll definitely be adding smoked paprika to more dishes now. Delicious!

I also opted to make my own bread-- my FIRST TIME making my own bread, guys! I was surprised to see it even rise while resting. I chose foccacia because its wonderfully crunchy texture is a great vehicle for dipping and topping with creamy Maghmour. It is also a great "blank slate" bread: you can top it with many different combinations of spices, veggies, and cheeses. I topped it with my family's za'atar, which is our Lebanese version of the Middle-Eastern herb mixture: imported oregano and thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac.

You can make za'atar quickly using your own preferred proportions, or purchase it at Middle Eastern specialty stores. And I guess these days it has been elevated to the status of "hipster" ingredient, as I've seen in featured at Whole Foods (could it possibly be the new harissa?) Finally, thin slices of lemon elevate the lemony sumac and complement the woodsy thyme.

To cut the richness of the whole dish (disclaimer: this is not a diet recipe), I made a garnish of parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pinenuts. This gave the dish a fresh bite. And I loved it so much that I refuse to eat maghmour without it now...

If you're looking for a hearty, filling vegetarian meal that is simple but unusual, give this one a try. You can serve the maghmour with the foccacia, with yogurt, or in a sandwich with cucumbers and mint. You'll wow even addicted meatlovers. I know the recipe is made for a crowd, but this keeps incredibly well in the fridge for 5 days. If making the foccacia the day before, cover it in an airtight bag after it cools, and it should be good to go the next day.

Enjoy!

"Maghmour"-- Smoky eggplant chickpea stew

Serves 8

• 10 ripe roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 10 baby eggplants, cut in 1/2 inch thick half-moons, salted and patted dry
• 1 large Spanish onion, sliced thin
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1.5-2 cups reconstituted chickpeas, or 1 15 oz can chickepeas
• 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp red pepper chili flakes (more or less depending on taste)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup canola oil for frying

1. Make sure the eggplants have been given enough time to salt sweat, and pat them completely dry. To avoid soaking up too much oil, press them with a paper towel to push out air bubbles that trap oil 
2. Heat a large heavy pot with 2 tbsp of olive oil under medium-low heat. Caramelize the onions, stirring frequently.
3. Meanwhile, heat a deep frying pan with 1/2 inch of canola oil under medium-high heat for a few minutes. Begin to fry the eggplants pieces in batches, trying to turn them only once. They should be golden brown on both sides. Place fried eggplant on dish with paper towel underneath. 
4. In between eggplant batches, drop in the tomatoes and garlic into the onion pot. and continue stirring frequently. Add paprika, chili, salt and pepper. Cover and allow the vegetables to melt into each other.
5. After 15 minutes, add the chickpeas into the tomato-onion-garlic pot and mix in. Season to taste. Simmer for 15 more minutes. 
6. Remove pot from heat and stir in the eggplant slices. Allow flavors to blend for 45 minutes before serving. Top with Parsley Garnish (see below)

Parsley Garnish

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons pinenuts
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped properly marinated, no can, black olives (optional)

1. Heat saucepan under medium heat. Toast pine-nuts for 2 minutes, shaking constantly to brown all sides.
2. Combine all ingredients and serve alongside or as topping for the maghmour.

Za'atar Foccacia (adapted from Canal House Cooking) 
Makes four 8-inch rounds

For the Dough

• 1 envelope (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 3/4 cups warm water
• 6 tablespoons of your best extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
• 2 teaspoons salt

To Assemble

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of homemade or store-bought za'atar
• 1 lemons, washed and very thinly sliced into rounds
• Coarse sea salt

1. For the dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in a medium bowl. Stir in 1-1/4 cups water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
2. Pulse the flour and salt together in the bowl of a large food processor. Add the yeast mixture and process until a rough ball of dough forms, 1 minute. 
3. Briefly knead dough on a floured surface until smooth. Shape dough into a ball. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a large bowl. Roll dough around in bowl until coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. Pour a thin film of oil into each of four 8-inch round cake pans (or 2 round pans and 9 by 13 pan). Quarter the dough and put one piece into each round pan. If using rectangular like I did, put half of dough in rectangular pan and equal parts of the remaining dough in the round pans. Using your fingertips, spread dough out in each pan. The elastic dough will resist spreading-- allow it to rest and slowly spread in the pan for 5 minutes to make your life easier
5. Preheat the oven to 450°. Cover the pans with damp dishcloths and let the dough rest until it has swollen in the pans a bit, 30-60 minutes.
6. Uncover the pans. Mix the oil with the za'atar. Liberally drizzle the dough with the za'atar oil, and add more oil if necessary to cover the entire surface. Using your fingertips, poke dimples into the dough in each pans. Arrange just the thinnest rounds of lemon on top, drizzle with more oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake the focaccia until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Serve cut into large wedges.