Imam bayildi
Local name : Ιμάμ μπαϊλντί
Whole aubergines stuffed with slow-cooked onions, tomatoes and garlic, then braised in olive oil until meltingly soft and sweet.
Photo : AlexanderVanLoon · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Method
- Peel the aubergines in alternating stripes, slit them lengthways without cutting through and salt the inside. Leave for 20 minutes, then pat dry.
- Brown the aubergines in 80 ml of the oil on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.
- In the same pan, cook the onions over low heat for 12 minutes until very soft. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, purée, sugar, cinnamon and half the parsley. Cook down for 10 minutes and season well.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Gently open each aubergine and pack it generously with the filling.
- Pour over the remaining oil, the lemon juice and 100 ml water. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover for a final 10 minutes.
- Let cool a little, scatter with the remaining parsley and serve at room temperature with bread.
Legend has it that an imam fainted over this dish, either from delight or on learning how much olive oil went into it. Do not cut the oil down; it is what gives the dish its silky texture.
