I had to make lunch for a group of fashionistas, and what better than these paleo compliant, naughty-but-nice mini lasagnes, brought home to the motherland by the incredible addition of berber spice? Berber spice is very well loved in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine and involves 10-15 individual spices, depending on who you ask. Its fiery red colour comes from the chilli powder, plus the 2-3 different paprikas blended in. Everyone’s personal blend is a little different but the overall effect is still the same – stunning, earthy, incredibly vibrant – and adds a warm glow to anything it touches. A hearty and satisfying dish, with lower carbs, more veg, and more fibre than our average lasagne. These Berber Spiced Aubergine Lasagnes are great to make ahead, and they travel/freeze really well. So you can pop them in the oven when you are ready to serve and they are done in a few minutes.

 

Ingredients

1 litre (2 pints) your favourite bolognese or minced meat sauce

4 aubergines, sliced into thin rounds

500g (1lb) cheddar cheese, grated (you can also use mozzarella or a mix of both)

½ cup Berber spice

Fresh oregano 

Method

1. Place a tablespoon of Bolognese sauce on the bottom of a ramekin. Sprinkle over some cheese and fresh oregano. Then dredge an aubergine slice through the wonderful bowl of Berber spice and place this on top of whats in the ramekin. 
2. The idea is to build it as you would a normal lasagne but using the aubergine instead of pasta. Repeat this until the ramekin is full – this recipe makes 10 – 12 ramekins. 
3. Top off all the ramekins with grated cheese and and bake in the oven at 200*C for 25 minutes or until he cheese is brown and bubbling and the aubergines are cooked. 
4. Serve and enjoy.

 

This recipe is from Season 1 Episode 2 of Minjiba Entertains, commissioned by The Africa Channel and showing on RealTime DSTV Channel 155, Emirates in-Flight Entertainment, Amazon Prime, and Demand Africa.