Ingredients

• 4 pitta breads
• split open and cut into nacho-sized triangles
• 500g/1lb 2oz Greek-style yoghurt
• 5 tbsp tahini
• at room temperature
• 2 lemons
• juice only
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1–2 tsp sea salt flakes
• to taste
• 125g/4½oz pomegranate seeds
• 50g/1¾oz toasted pine nuts
• 1 tbsp finely shredded mint leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion
• finely chopped
• 1 aubergine
• cut into small cubes
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika
• plus extra for sprinkling
• 1–2 tsp sea salt flakes
• to taste
• 500g/1lb 2oz beef mince

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Spread the pitta triangles out on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10–15 minutes
• or until they are crisp. You don’t need them to colour
• but if they do just a little here and there
• that’s not a bad thing. Set aside.
• To make the topping
• beat the yoghurt
• tahini
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
• garlic and 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes together in a heatproof bowl that will later sit over a saucepan. Taste to see if you want any more salt. Set aside.
• To make the aubergine-beef layer
• warm the oil in a wide
• though not deep
• heavy-based saucepan or casserole and cook the onion
• stirring occasionally
• over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes
• then turn the heat down to low and cook for another 4 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• until soft and a pale caramel colour.
• Turn the heat up to medium
• add the aubergine cubes and stir well. Cook for about 10 minutes
• stirring frequently. Turn the heat down if they look as if they’re catching.
• Stir in the cumin
• coriander and a teaspoon each Aleppo pepper and sea salt flakes. Turn the heat up to high
• add the mince and use a fork to break it up a little and turn in the pan until it’s lost its red colour. Turn the heat back down to medium and cook for 10 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• until the meat is cooked through. Taste to see if you want to add more salt
• then take off the heat.
• Pour about 3cm/1¼in of just-boiled water into a fresh pan and put over a low heat. Sit the bowl with the tahini-yoghurt mixture on top
• making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Beat well until the yogurt is slightly above room temperature and has the consistency of lightly whipped cream.
• To assemble
• arrange the crisp pitta triangles on a large round plate. Top with the aubergine-beef mixture
• followed by the yoghurt-tahini sauce. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper or paprika to give a light dusting. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts and
• finally
• strew with the finely shredded mint leaves. Eat with your fingers
• nacho-style.