Imam Bayildi Eggplant Dish (Printable)

Tender eggplants filled with savory tomato and onion, baked to perfection with fragrant herbs and olive oil.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium eggplants (approximately 8.8 oz each)
02 - 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
03 - 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

→ Oils & Liquids

07 - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - ½ cup water
09 - Juice of ½ lemon

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus additional to taste
12 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F.
02 - Wash and peel alternating lengthwise stripes on eggplants. Cut a lengthwise slit in each, keeping ends intact.
03 - Sprinkle salt over eggplants and let rest for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse and pat dry.
04 - Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
05 - Incorporate minced garlic and chopped bell peppers, cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
06 - Stir in diced tomatoes, sugar, sea salt, black pepper, and paprika. Simmer mixture for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and fold in chopped parsley.
07 - Warm remaining olive oil in a clean skillet. Gently fry eggplants on all sides until lightly browned and softened, approximately 8 minutes.
08 - Arrange eggplants in a baking dish. Carefully open slits and fill generously with the tomato and onion mixture.
09 - Drizzle lemon juice over stuffed eggplants and pour water into the dish around them.
10 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until eggplants are tender and filling bubbles.
12 - Allow the dish to cool to room temperature for optimal flavor.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or dinner parties where you can relax instead of rush.
  • Silky eggplant meets a fragrant, slowly-built filling that whispers cinnamon and patience—entirely vegetarian yet nobody at the table notices what's missing.
  • Room temperature, warm, or even cold from the fridge, it bends to your mood and the season.
02 -
  • Do not skip the salting step; it changes everything by removing bitterness and collapsing the eggplant's structure just enough so it absorbs the filling instead of resisting it.
  • The filling must be completely cooled before stuffing, or the eggplants will collapse and the whole thing becomes harder to work with.
  • Room temperature is not a suggestion—this dish truly tastes better when it's had time to cool and the flavors have settled into silence rather than heat.
03 -
  • Don't rush the oil—it's not just a cooking medium here; it's a flavor carrier and what makes everything slide down your throat so easily.
  • If your eggplants are large, cut them lengthwise into quarters instead of halves; smaller pieces cook more evenly and are easier to stuff.
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