Turkish stuffed eggplant - Imam Bayildi

 The Fainting Imam’s Delight

A jewel of Ottoman cuisine, Imam Bayıldı is a dish that seduces with the fragrance of olive oil, the sweetness of onions, and the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of eggplant. The name means “the imam fainted” — supposedly because he swooned with pleasure when he first tasted it (or when he saw how much olive oil his wife used, depending on the tale you prefer).

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants

4 onions, thinly sliced

3 tomatoes, chopped

3–4 garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

Fresh parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper

Plenty of olive oil (at least 100 ml, ideally more — this is a dish that loves oil)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, keeping the stems on. Score the flesh, drizzle generously with olive oil, and roast until softened.

3. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat more olive oil and slowly sauté the onions until golden and sweet. Add garlic, chopped tomatoes, red pepper, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and aromatic.

4. Gently open the roasted eggplants and fill them with the tomato-onion mixture.

5. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes, drizzling more olive oil over the top.

6. Let the dish cool completely — Imam Bayıldı is best served at room temperature, when the flavors have settled and the olive oil glistens.

Serving suggestion

Serve with a wedge of lemon, warm pita, or fluffy rice. Enjoy it as a mezze, or as a light summer meal with a crisp white wine.

Here are some other great Mediterranean recipes:

Greek zucchini fritters

Amazing Spanish Paella

Sicilian Caponata