Morrocan Lamb and Matzoh Pie

Wow - Epicurious!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 8  tablespoons  olive oil plus additional for brushing on  matzos
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground lamb
• 3  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mix
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1  teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
•  whole tomato with juice, chopped (6 cups)
• 2  lbs eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices
• 6  matzos (about 6 inches square)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3⁄4 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. Make lamb filling:
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (2 inches deep) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add lamb and sauté, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add two thirds of garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon ras-el-hanout with oregano, mint, pepper, and cinnamon, then sauté, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Stir in 4 cups tomatoes with some of juice (reserving remaining tomatoes and juice for sauce) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Roast eggplant and assemble pie:
6. Preheat broiler.
7. Toss eggplant slices with 4 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Brush a large shallow baking pan (1/2 to 1 inch deep) generously with oil and arrange as many slices as possible in 1 layer. Broil, in batches if necessary, 5 to 7 inches from heat, turning slices over as they brown (about halfway through broiling), until tender, 12 to 15 minutes total.
8. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F
9. Soak matzos, 1 or 2 at a time, in a pan of warm water until matzos are slightly softened but still hold their shape, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Let excess water drip off and transfer matzos to paper towels or kitchen towels to drain.
10. Arrange 2 matzos side by side in a generously oiled 13- by 9- by 2-inch (3-quart) baking dish to nearly cover bottom. Spread 3 cups lamb filling over matzos in pan. Arrange 2 matzos side by side on top, then spread remaining filling over them. Arrange eggplant slices in 1 layer over filling (overlapping slices slightly if necessary), then arrange remaining 2 matzos on top and brush with oil. Bake, covered with foil, 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue to bake until filling is hot, about 10 minutes more.
11. Make tomato sauce while pie bakes:
12. Purée remaining 2 cups chopped tomatoes with juice in a blender. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, then cook cayenne, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each ras-el-hanout and salt, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add tomato purée and sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes.