İmam bayıldı: Turkish stuffed aubergines
Silky aubergines filled with olive-oil-braised onion, garlic, tomato, and parsley, served warm or cool.
Prep25 min
Cook90 min
Rest40 min
Oven190°C
Servings6
Adapted for the home kitchen from documented Turkish recipe references
Ingredients
Written for a 23 × 33 cm dish
Units
Temperature
Servings
- 6 small aubergines rounded
- 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil, divided rounded
- 600 g onions, thinly sliced rounded
- 8 garlic, sliced rounded
- 500 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped rounded
- 20 g tomato paste rounded
- 20 g parsley, chopped rounded
- 10 g sugar rounded
- 20 ml lemon juice rounded
- 8 g fine salt, for the filling rounded
- to taste fine salt, for salting the aubergines rounded
- 150 ml water rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Peel alternating strips from each aubergine, salt lightly, and rest 20 minutes. Pat dry. Heat the oven to 190°C.
- Brown aubergines in 50 ml oil, turning until softened on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish and cut a deep lengthwise pocket in each.
- Cook onions in remaining oil over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, paste, sugar, and salt; cook until jammy and nearly dry. Stir in parsley and lemon.
- Fill the aubergines generously. Add the 150 ml water around them, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more.
- Cool at least 20 minutes. Spoon pan juices over and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- The generous olive oil is part of the dish, not merely frying fat.
- Cooking the onion-tomato filling until concentrated prevents watery aubergines.
Sources consulted
Good with
- Greek salad with sardines
- Moudjendra: Cypriot lentils, rice, and caramelised onions
- Soft Greek pita: pocketless and stovetop-cooked
Sources consulted
From Christoph Mayer