Saucy Roasted Eggplant & Feta Saganaki with Minty Lamb Koftas

Served Mezze Style.

DIFFICULTY: Easy

PREP + COOK TIME: 80 minutes

Ingredients

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Ingredients ✴

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato & Feta Saganaki:

• 2 small eggplants (about 250g each), diced 3cm 

• ¾ brown onion, finely diced 

• 4 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp each Woolworths paprika & dried oregano 

• ⅓ cup (80ml) white wine or rosé

• 1 x 400g tin Macro whole peeled tomatoes 

• 2 tsp white or brown sugar 

• 75g Woolworths Greek-Style Crumbly Cheese 

• Macro extra virgin olive oil, for cooking  

Minty Lamb Koftas: 

• 500g Woolworths NZ Lamb Mince Grass Feed 13% Fat 

• ¼ brown onion, finely diced 

• 2 fat cloves garlic, minced

• 3 Tbsp Macro pine nuts, toasted 

• 1 tsp Woolworths dried oregano

• ½ tsp each Woolworths paprika & dried dill

• ¼ tsp Woolworths ground cinnamon 

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint + extra to garnish 

• 3 Tbsp white or panko breadcrumbs 

• 3 Tbsp unsweetened full-fat Greek yoghurt + extra to serve

Directions

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Directions ✴

Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake. Line a medium sized oven tray with baking paper. 

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato & Feta Saganaki: Spread the eggplant over the lined oven tray. Season with ½ tsp fine salt and drizzle with about 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat the eggplant and roast for about 25 minutes, or until golden and tender. In the meantime, prepare the lamb koftas.

Heat about 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a medium, deep frying pan (or shallow casserole dish) on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until tender and starting to colour. Add the garlic, paprika and oregano and cook for a further 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, followed by the tinned tomatoes, sugar and ½ cup (125ml) water. Use a potato masher to crush the whole tomatoes. Season with ½ tsp fine salt, stir together and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly and glossy. Fold through the roasted eggplant and continue to simmer for another few minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside while you cook the koftas. 

Minty Lamb Koftas: Add all of the ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and season with 1 tsp fine salt. Using clean hands, squish and mix everything together, until well combined. Using oiled or damp hands, form the mixture firmly into 10 koftas. Set aside on a plate until ready to cook. 

Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Add the koftas to the pan and cook for about 8 minutes, tossing often, until golden and almost cooked through (they will finish cooking in the sauce). Remove from the heat. 

To Finish: Bring the tomato and eggplant mixture back up to a simmer on medium heat, then stir through the Greek-style crumbly cheese. Nestle the koftas into the tomato-eggplant mixture and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes, or until everything is hot and bubbling and the koftas are cooked through. 

To Serve: Drizzle the top of the saganaki with some extra yoghurt (if desired) and garnish with some extra mint leaves. I served mine mezze-style with some fresh cucumber, marinated olives, hummus, pomegranate arils and lots of Greek yoghurt.

Tip* The Woolworths Greek-style crumbly cheese is a beautiful product, and the crumbly firm texture works perfectly in a saganaki without melting too much into the sauce.