Dive into this delightful moussaka-inspired salad bowl, featuring tender roasted aubergines, golden beef, and a zingy lemon ricotta that 's sure to tantalise your taste buds. This dish is packed with protein and fibre, making it a satisfying and healthy midweek meal!
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Preheat your oven to 180 C (fan 160 C). Slice the aubergines into 2cm thick rounds. Season them generously with salt, tossing to ensure an even coating. Place the salted aubergine slices in a sieve over a bowl and let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
While the aubergines are resting, add the ricotta to a bowl. Zest the entire lemon and add all the zest to the ricotta. Halve the lemon and squeeze half of the juice into the ricotta. Season with salt and black pepper, then mix well and set aside.
Pick the parsley leaves from their stems. Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Chop the cherry tomatoes into chunks and finely slice the red onion. Combine the parsley, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, squeeze in the remaining lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper. Mix everything well and set aside.
Brush off any excess salt from the aubergine slices and pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over a large baking tray, then arrange the aubergine slices in a single layer. Drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through, until they are soft and golden brown. Once cooked, toss the roasted aubergine through the prepared salad.
Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add half of the beef mince to the pan, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is golden and crispy. Transfer the cooked beef to a separate bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining beef mince.
Grate the garlic into the empty frying pan (add a touch more extra virgin olive oil if needed) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Squeeze in the tomato pur e and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens. Return all the cooked beef mince to the pan. Stir in the ground cinnamon and pomegranate molasses, then season to taste.
To serve, spoon the aubergine salad into individual bowls. Top each serving with the crispy beef mixture and finish with generous dollops of the lemony ricotta.
For an extra layer of flavour, try adding a pinch of dried oregano or mint to the beef mince while it 's cooking.
If you want to make this dish even faster, you can pan-fry the aubergine slices instead of roasting them, ensuring they are cooked until tender and golden.
This recipe is great for meal prep! Store the beef mixture, salad, and ricotta separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Combine just before serving.