- 8 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing on matzo
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ras-el-hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 (28- to 32-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice, chopped (6 cups), reserving juice
- 2 pound eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices
- 6 matzos (about 6 inches square)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 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. 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.
- 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.
- Preheat broiler.
- 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.
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.