İmam Bayıldı (Ottoman Stuffed Eggplants)
A classic Ottoman eggplant dish that is vegetarian friendly and super delicious.
Ingredients
- 5 eggplants
- 5 sprigs thyme only the leaves, finely chopped
- 3 medium onions cut into thin slices
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 tomatoes finely diced
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp pine nuts
- 2 organic vegetable bouillon cubes
- ½ bunch parsely finely chopped
- 400 g feta cheese crumbled
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
To serve:
- dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392° F fan.
- Use a sharp knife to vertically score each eggplant in three places.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper, arrange the eggplants in the pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and thyme.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. When ready, remove from the oven and set the eggplants aside to cool on a wire rack or a plate.
- Place a deep skillet or pan over medium to high heat and allow to get very hot. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, sugar, and a little salt. Sauté for about 15 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the onions and garlic are nicely caramelized.
- Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine nuts, and bouillon cubes. Cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove the pan from heat, add the parsley and mix.
- Use a spoon to fill the eggplants with the mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and place under the oven grill for 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned slightly golden.
- Sprinkle with oregano and serve.
Notes
Chef’s tip: When caramelizing the onions and garlic, brown sugar and salt are added so they can release all of their sweetness.
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