Imam Bayildi Turkish Eggplant (Print)

Silky eggplants baked with a fragrant tomato, onion, and garlic filling in olive oil.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium eggplants (about 8.8 oz each)
02 - 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
03 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

→ Oils & Liquids

07 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - ½ cup water
09 - Juice of ½ lemon

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp sugar
11 - 1½ tsp sea salt, plus additional to taste
12 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1 tsp paprika (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven to 350°F.
02 - Wash eggplants and peel alternating lengthwise stripes; cut a lengthwise slit in each, keeping ends intact.
03 - Sprinkle eggplants with salt and let rest for 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
04 - Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté onions until softened, about 8 minutes.
05 - Incorporate garlic and green bell peppers; cook for 3 minutes.
06 - Add diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, black pepper, and paprika; simmer for 10 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat and stir in parsley.
07 - Heat remaining olive oil in a clean skillet; lightly brown and soften eggplants on all sides, about 8 minutes.
08 - Place eggplants in a baking dish, open slits carefully, and fill generously with the tomato-onion mixture.
09 - Drizzle lemon juice over eggplants and pour water around them in the dish.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until eggplants are tender and filling bubbles.
12 - Allow to cool to room temperature; preferable served warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The eggplant becomes creamy and luxurious without any meat, making it feel far more indulgent than you'd expect from vegetables alone.
  • It tastes even better the next day, so you can prep ahead and actually enjoy your guests instead of being tied to the stove.
  • It works equally well warm from the oven or cooled to room temperature, giving you total flexibility depending on the season or occasion.
02 -
  • Salting the eggplants isn't fussy; it genuinely removes bitterness and helps them cook faster, so don't treat it as optional.
  • The filling needs to actually simmer and thicken, not just bubble—if you rush this, it'll be watery inside the eggplants and the dish will taste diluted.
  • Don't stuff them while they're piping hot; let them cool just enough that you can handle them without burning your fingers, which makes the whole process easier and less wasteful.
03 -
  • The striped peeling isn't just decorative—it helps the eggplants cook more evenly and gives you visual confirmation that the dish is cooked through.
  • Letting the filled eggplants cool slightly before serving isn't about being patient; it's about texture, because the filling sets just enough to stay inside the eggplant rather than sliding out onto the plate.
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