Eggplant involtini with chickpea couscous and feta

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 eggplant(s)
• olive oil
• 150 g feta cheese
• 75 g couscous (instant)
• 200 g chickpeas
• 1 tbsp, heaped tomato paste
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp, leveled spice mix, Arabic (Baharat)
• 1 pinch(s) cinnamon, optional
• 100 ml vegetable stock
• e.g. salt and pepper
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 chili pepper(s), dried
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 tomatoes
• e.g. salt and pepper
• n. B. sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Place the instant couscous in a bowl and add the chickpeas, tomato paste, cumin, and, if desired, baharat or simply a pinch of cinnamon. Pour over boiling vegetable stock, mix well, and let it simmer. If the couscous is still too dry, simply add a little more water or vegetable stock. Once cooked, season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, slice the eggplant lengthwise into 2-3 mm thin slices. Finely dice the onion and chop the garlic. Lightly chop the dried chili pepper. Cut the tomatoes into approximately 1 cm cubes. Heat a little oil in a small saucepan and add the onion, garlic, and chili. After 1-2 minutes, add the tomato paste and fry briefly, then stir in the diced tomatoes and simmer over medium heat. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar. Meanwhile, heat a grill pan and brush it with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices in batches on both sides of the pan until they are soft and have nice grill marks. Brush the pan with oil occasionally. Cut the feta into small cubes. Grease a baking dish. Place about 1 heaped tablespoon of the chickpea couscous on each eggplant slice and roll them up. Place the rolls tightly in the baking dish with the overlap facing down. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over them and sprinkle the feta on top. Place in the oven at 180°C for about 20-30 minutes, until the feta is nicely toasted on top.