Imam Bayildi (stuffed eggplant)

An amazing combination of fresh eggplant stuffed with a juicy tomato based filling, caramelized onions, garlic with aromatic herbs and spices. Recipe adapted from My Greek Dish. Makes 4 half-eggplant portions.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplant

• salt

• olive oil

• 1 brown onion

• 4 large garlic cloves

• 4 large plum tomatoes

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• handful fresh parsley or mint, or a mixture of the two, plus extra to serve

• black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Halve the eggplants and score the flesh in a cross hatch, trying not the break the skin with the tip of your knife. Rub a generous amount of salt into the flesh, and set aside.

3. Add a generous splash of olive oil to a large, non-stick frying pan set over a high heat. Fry the eggplant, working in batches and adding a little more oil if necessary until their exposed flesh is golden. As you remove them from a pan, nestle them cut side up in a baking dish just large enough to fit them snugly.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, thinly sliced into half moons along with another splash of oil and another pinch of salt. Fry for 5-6 minutes or so until they’re soft and just starting to color.

5. Finely slice the garlic cloves before adding them to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes until they’re soft and aromatic.

6. Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking for a further 5 minutes until they start to break down into a rough sauce. Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano, tomato puree and the fresh herbs, finely chopped. Season generously to taste with more salt and a little black pepper.

7. Remove from the heat and stir in 4 tbsp of water before spooning the mixture over the exposed cut sides of the eggplant. Drizzle some more olive oil over the dish before covering with foil and baking for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the eggplant are soft and have collapsed.

8. Leave to stand and serve either warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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