Imam Bayildi
Whole eggplants slowly braised in generous olive oil with sweet onions, garlic, and tomatoes until meltingly tender - a legendary Ottoman vegan dish whose name means "the imam fainted" with pleasure.
Ingredients
- 4 globe eggplants
- 2 tsp salt (for sweating)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 green cubanelle peppers or green bell peppers, diced
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
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1
Partially peel 4 globe eggplants in alternating vertical stripes. Score a deep lengthwise slit in each eggplant without cutting through. Rub 2 tsp salt (for sweating) inside the slits and set on a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
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2
Preheat oven to 350°F.
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3
Heat half the 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 4 thinly sliced yellow onions and cook, stirring often, until golden and very soft, about 12 minutes. Add 8 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 2 diced green cubanelle peppers or green bell peppers and cook 3 more minutes.
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4
Stir in 4 diced ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften. Remove from heat and stir in half the 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.
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5
Nestle the eggplants slit-side up in the skillet. Spoon the tomato filling into each slit, packing it in generously. Drizzle the remaining extra-virgin olive oil over the eggplants, then pour 1/2 cup water around them.
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6
Cover tightly with a lid or foil and braise in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the eggplants are completely collapsed and very tender.
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7
Let rest 10 minutes, then scatter remaining fresh flat-leaf parsley over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.