Eggplant Tortilla - Tortilla de Berenjena

posted on: Dec 1, 2025

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

One of the most important new vegetable crops introduced by the Arabs to the Iberian Peninsula and later to Sicily was the eggplant.  Four varieties were grown in Spain:  the ‘local’, the Cordoban, the Egyptian and the Syrian, all attesting to its popularity as a cooking ingredient.  The Arabs called it badhinjan, which eventually gave rise to the Spanish term berenjena and the French aubergine. 

According to Clifford A.Wright, author of the brilliant book A Mediterranean Feast, a similar dish from Seville is to be found in the Arab-Andalusian Ibn Razin al-Tujibi’s 13^th century cookbook.

Serves 4

1 small eggplant, about 1/2-pound

2 tablespoons finely ground breadcrumbs

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Bake eggplant in 400° F oven until skin begins to become crisp, then remove and allow to cool.  Remove the skin and place pulp in a mixing bowl, then finely mash.  Stir in breadcrumbs, eggs, salt and 2 tablespoons of the oil, then set aside.  

Prepare sauce by combining remaining ingredients, including 1 tablespoon of the oil, adding a little more water if necessary to make fairly liquidy sauce, then set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, then fry eggplant-egg mixture over medium-low heat for a few minutes on one side until firm.  Flip over, then fry for 1 minute or until cooked.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cut into pie wedges and serve, with each diner spooning sauce over wedges to taste.

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