Turkish Pizzas with Aubergine & Pine Nut Topping
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Prep: 20 mins
Cook 25 mins
In Turkey, lahmacun is a kind of pizza made with flatbread topped with spiced minced beef. This vegan version uses an aubergine sauce as the topping, with golden pine nuts added at the end for extra crunch.
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716 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 1 aubergine
  • 1 onion
  • 1 pointed pepper
  • 2 vine tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 cayenne chilli
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 4 white tortillas
  • 25g raisins
  • 25g pine nuts
  • 50g rocket
From your kitchen
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Trim the top off the aubergine and finely dice the aubergine into chunks around ½cm across. Warm a large frying pan over a medium heat for 1 min, then add 2 tbsp olive oil and the aubergine. Fry, stirring constantly for the first 2 mins then every so often after that, for 8 mins, till the aubergine chunks are golden brown and tender.

  • 2.

    While the aubergine cooks, peel and finely chop the onion. Halve the pointed pepper, scoop out the white pith and seeds and finely chop it. Dice the vine tomatoes.

  • 3.

    Scoop the aubergine out of the frying pan and pop it in a bowl. Add the onion, pepper and tomatoes to the frying pan with ½ tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins till the veg look glossy and the tomatoes are pulpy and soft.

  • 4.

    While the veg fry, peel and crush the garlic. Halve the chilli, scoop out the seeds and white pith and finely chop the chilli.

  • 5.

    Stir the garlic and chilli into the veg. Add the aubergine back to the pan. Add 1 tsp each coriander, cumin, dried oregano and ½ tsp cinnamon to the pan. Cook and stir for 1 min. Take off the heat and stir in the raisins. Taste and add a pinch more salt and pepper to the veg if you think they need it.

  • 6.

    Heat your grill to high. Lay 2 tortillas each on 2 baking trays and spoon the aubergine mix over the tortillas. Sprinkle over the pine nuts. Grill for 2-3 mins till the pine nuts have browned and the edges of the tortillas are crisp. Keep your eye on them, as the pine nuts can catch and burn quickly.

  • 7.

    While the pizzas grill, toss the rocket leaves with ½ tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

  • 8.

    When the Turkish pizzas are ready, take them out from under the grill and use a wide fish slice or spatula to scoop them off the tray and onto serving plates. Top with a few of the rocket leaves and serve the rest of the rocket leaves on the side.

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