Imam Bayildi

imam

This is a typical Greek dish (in common with Turkey) consisting of whole aubergine stuffed with tomatoes, onions and garlic simmered in olive oil. It is better served at room temperature or warm. But it is also delicious cold in the summer!

The legend (and name) says a Turkish imam passed out from pleasure after trying the dish (or maybe from eating to much of it!).

Ingredients

  • eggplant
  • 2-3 onions
  • 7-8 cloves garlic
  • 3-4 tomatoes
  • peppers
  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 400 ml hot water
  • persil
  • Peel the skin off the eggplants in stripes. Cut them in two and spoon a little the inside. Put in salty water for about half an hour to draw out the bitterness. Dry them off and fry them in oil until the flesh changes to a golden color.
  • Chop, the onions, peppers and garlic as fine as possible and fry them in olive oil until they have softened. Chop the tomatoes (peal them if you are in the mood!) and add them to the onion mixture together with the seasoning. Cook for about10 minutes and turn off the heat. Add the chopped persil.
  • Place the eggplants in an olive oiled oven tray. Fill the eggplants with the tomato mix and poor the rest around.
  • Cook in the oven for 45mn.