Imam Bayildi

Angela Sara's Note:

A famous Turkish dish, its name means literally 'the Immam fainted' - some say at the deliciousness of the dish, others claim the poor priest was horrified at the amount of oil the dish used! I prefer the first theory!

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 medium aubergines (eggplants)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 2 garlic , cloves crushed
• 1 green pepper (capsicum)
• 1 red pepper (capsicum)
• parsley , good handful chopped
• 3 large tomatoes , blanched, skinned and coarsely chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• black pepper
• salt
• ½-1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ lemon , juice of

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
2. Slice each aubergine in half lengthwise.
3. Scoop out the flesh from the aubergines and chop.
4. Blanch the aubergine shells in boiling water for 2 minutes then drain upside down.
5. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan and saute the onion until soft and golden.
6. Add crushed garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add parsley, chopped aubergine, tomatoes, green and red pepper, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste.
9. Arrange the aubergine boats in a baking dish and fill each one with the filling.
10. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
11. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

Reviews

[Sackville]

Incredibly yummy and very colourful on my plate! The cinnamon really adds a unique taste to this dish and I liked the fact that you could eat the shells as well as the filling. The only thing I would say, is that the filling suggested here seemed just enough for our two eggplants. If I were making it for four people, I might add an extra pepper and a couple tomatoes (or choose smaller eggplants). We had this with a salad but I think rice would be good as well.

[eMaeRay]

I have made this twice and it had been great both times. One change I made the second time was to peel the eggplant, then cube, then saute everything, then bake in a casserole pan for a pot luck. There were NO leftovers and many compliments. Thanks for a great recipe.

[Chef #251482]

I used more tomato and only used red pepper (not green) as it is sweeter. Delicious but oily. Tasted just like it was in Turkey. Yum!