Sami Tamimi's aubergine dolma bake delivers the comforting flavours of traditional stuffed vine leaves without the hours of coring, stuffing, and rolling. This layered pie captures all the familiar tastes, with vine leaves becoming silky and tender. A bright, lemony spinach salad adds freshness and contrast.
Aubergine dolma bake
Prep 20 min, cook 2 hr 15 min, cool 20 min. Serves 6.
Ingredients: 2 large aubergines (900g), cut lengthways into ½cm-thick slices; olive oil; salt; pomegranate seeds; yoghurt (optional). For the filling: 10-12 vine leaves in brine (40g), rinsed, dried and roughly chopped; 1 red onion (150g), finely chopped; 3 large garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tsp baharat; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ⅓ tsp ground black pepper; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 350g Egyptian rice (or pudding or risotto rice); 30g mint leaves, finely shredded; 50g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 10g coriander, finely chopped; 1 tsp freshly ground coffee. For the sauce: 900ml boiling water; 80ml lemon juice; 2 tbsp tomato paste; black pepper.
Heat oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper. Lay aubergine slices on trays, brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt on both sides. Roast 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown. Reduce oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Line a high-sided 22cm x 35cm dish with baking paper.
For filling, combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1½ tsp salt. Mix well. Line dish base with just under half the roasted aubergine slices, slightly overlapping. Spoon filling evenly over aubergine. Top with remaining aubergine slices, overlapping slightly.
Whisk sauce ingredients with 1½ tsp salt and black pepper. Pour slowly over the bake. Seal tightly with foil. Place dish on a tray (in case of leakage) and bake 90 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove from oven, leave covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil, carefully invert onto a large platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and parsley leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature with the spicy herb and spinach salad and yoghurt if desired.
Spicy herb and spinach salad
Prep 15 min, cook 10 min. Serves 4.
Ingredients: 2 lemons (1 squeezed for 1 tbsp juice, the other whole); 20g flat-leaf parsley leaves; 10g tarragon leaves; 15g dill leaves; 15g mint leaves, roughly torn; 4 spring onions (60g), trimmed and thinly sliced; 100g baby spinach; 1½ tbsp olive oil. For the seeds: ½ tsp white sesame seeds, toasted; ½ tsp nigella seeds, toasted; 20g pumpkin seeds, toasted; 1½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed; ½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes (or ¼ tsp regular); flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Combine all seed ingredients in a bowl with ¼ tsp flaky sea salt. Trim ends off whole lemon, cut off skin and pith, release segments by slicing between membranes, roughly chop flesh. Place in a large bowl with lemon juice, parsley, tarragon, dill, mint, spring onions, spinach, oil, 1 tsp flaky sea salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add half the seed mixture, combine. Transfer to a platter, top with remaining seeds, serve immediately.
According to Sami Tamimi, this recipe gives all the pleasure of stuffed vine leaves without the hours of labour, serving alongside a lemony salad rich with toasted seeds.
