-
1
Heat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
-
2
Brush both sides of eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
-
3
Arrange slices on prepared baking sheet and broil in batches until they are deep mahogany brown, turning once halfway through, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
-
4
Adjust the oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned in the center.
-
5
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil over medium heat.
-
6
Add onion and saute until translucent, but not browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
-
7
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-
8
Add ground lamb or beef, stirring frequently and breaking up meat into very small pieces with the side of a metal spoon.
-
9
Season with remaining teaspoon salt, cinnamon and pepper.
-
10
Saute until meat is just cooked through.
-
11
Taste and add more salt or pepper, or both, as needed.
-
12
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
-
13
Add pine nuts and reduce heat to medium-low.
-
14
Stir nuts to coat them with butter and continue stirring constantly until nuts are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
-
15
Keep a close watch over the nuts; they can burn quickly once they begin to brown.
-
16
Transfer nuts to a bowl while still warm and salt them lightly.
-
17
Coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
-
18
Spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish.
-
19
Lay 1/3 of the eggplant slices in a single layer over the sauce, covering as much surface area of the bottom of the dish as possible.
-
20
Spoon half the meat evenly over eggplant.
-
21
Pour 1/3 of the remaining tomato sauce evenly over meat.
-
22
Sprinkle with 1/3 of the pine nuts.
-
23
Layer again with eggplant, meat, tomato sauce and pine nuts.
-
24
Finish with a layer of eggplant and cover with more tomato sauce, sprinkling top with pine nuts.
-
25
Pour 1 cup warm water around the perimeter of the baking dish.
-
26
(Sauce will thicken as it bakes.)
-
27
Cover pan with foil and bake for 90 minutes.
-
28
Remove foil and top eggplant evenly with mozzarella.
-
29
Bake for 15 minutes longer, uncovered, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
-
30
Serve eggplant warm, over rice.