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–+ servings
Two Turkish stuffed eggplants with tomato-onion filling, garnished with fresh herbs and served in a rich olive oil sauce.
5 from 1 vote

Imam Bayildi

By Zerrin & Yusuf
A classic Turkish olive oil dish made with eggplants stuffed with a savory tomato, onion, and pepper filling, then baked until melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Yields: 4 people
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PREP 15 minutes
COOK 1 hour 10 minutes
TOTAL 1 hour 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
  

Roasting Eggplants:

  • 4 medium eggplants
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Filling:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped or thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup green peppers diced
  • 3 large tomatoes peeled and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Sauce:

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

INSTRUCTIONS
 

Prepare the Eggplants:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Peel the eggplants in stripes (like a zebra), leaving the stems on.
    4 medium eggplants
  • Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork and place them on a baking rack.
  • Brush them generously with olive oil.
    2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

Make the Filling:

  • Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent.
    4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large onion
  • Add the green peppers and cook for a few minutes.
    ¼ cup green peppers
  • Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes.
    3 large tomatoes, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Remove from heat and stir in the chopped mint and parsley.
    2 tablespoons fresh mint, 2 tablespoons parsley

Stuff the Eggplants:

  • Cut a slit lengthwise in each roasted eggplant, without slicing all the way through.
  • Use a spoon to gently open them and create a boat shape.
  • Fill each eggplant with the tomato mixture and place them in a baking dish.

Make the Sauce and Bake Again:

  • In a small bowl, mix the water and tomato paste until smooth.
    1 cup water, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Pour the sauce over the stuffed eggplants.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the eggplants are fully tender.

To Serve:

  • Let cool to room temperature and optionally serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

NUTRITION

Calories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 7gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 668mgPotassium: 1562mgFiber: 17gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 1676IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Course Lunch
Cuisine Turkish
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