turkishveganeggplantbakedolive-oilmezzetomato

İmam Bayıldı

Name: İmam Bayıldı
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 (about 600 g total) small eggplants; 1 tsp fine salt; 60 ml olive oil; 30 ml olive oil; 300 g, thinly sliced onions; 4, thinly sliced garlic cloves; 250 g, peeled and diced ripe tomatoes; 15 g tomato paste; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 15 g, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 120 ml hot water; 15 ml olive oil; 5 g, chopped flat-leaf parsley

Silky baked eggplants are split and filled with a sweet-savory mixture of slow-cooked onions, tomato, garlic, and parsley. The result is tender, fragrant, and richly infused with olive oil, with a delicate balance of sweetness and acidity.

2 servings

493 kcal

Turkish

Ingredients

For the eggplants

2 (about 600 g total)small eggplants
1 tspfine salt
60 mlolive oil

For the filling

30 mlolive oil
300 g, thinly slicedonions
4, thinly slicedgarlic cloves
250 g, peeled and dicedripe tomatoes
15 gtomato paste
1 tspsugar
1/2 tspfine salt
1/4 tspblack pepper
15 g, finely choppedflat-leaf parsley

For baking and serving

120 mlhot water
15 mlolive oil
5 g, choppedflat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the eggplants in alternating lengthwise stripes for the classic look, leaving bands of skin intact. Cut a deep slit down the length of each eggplant without cutting all the way through. Sprinkle with the salt and leave for 10 minutes to draw out a little bitterness and help them soften faster.
2
Pat the eggplants dry. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat and cook the eggplants for 6-8 minutes, turning carefully, until lightly golden and beginning to soften on all sides. They should not be fully cooked yet. Transfer to a baking dish slit-side up.
3
In the same pan, add the olive oil for the filling and the onions. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and sweet but not deeply browned. Properly softened onions are the heart of the dish, so do not rush this stage.
4
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the mixture becomes jammy rather than watery.
5
Turn off the heat and fold in the parsley. Open the slits in the eggplants gently with a spoon and divide the onion-tomato filling between them, pressing it into the cavities and mounding any extra on top.
6
Pour the hot water around the eggplants in the baking dish and drizzle over the remaining olive oil. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the eggplants are completely tender and a knife slides in easily.
7
Let the dish rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon some of the pan juices over the eggplants, scatter with the remaining parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature with bread or rice.

Nutrition per serving

493 kcal

Calories

Protein

28g

Carbs

41g

Fat

10g

Fiber

Notes

•Choose small, firm eggplants so they cook through within the 60-minute target and hold their shape well.
•If your tomatoes are very juicy, cook the filling a minute or two longer so it stays rich and concentrated.
•İmam Bayıldı is traditionally generous with olive oil; this version is still authentic in character but slightly lighter for everyday cooking.
•The dish often tastes even better after cooling to room temperature, when the eggplants absorb more of the fragrant oil and tomato juices.

Background

İmam Bayıldı is a classic Ottoman-era zeytinyağlı, a category of vegetable dishes cooked in olive oil and often served at room temperature. Its name means 'the imam fainted,' with legends claiming he swooned either from the dish's deliciousness or from the lavish amount of olive oil used to make it.

Love this recipe?

Get personalised AI-curated recipes, meal plans and smart shopping lists — free.

Download Gourmate – Free