Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant)

La storia di questo piatto

Imam Bayildi, "the imam fainted," is Turkey's most famous tale of eggplant, and the legend tells of a holy man who swooned from pleasure, or perhaps from the olive oil's cost. It belongs to the Turkish table, where the eggplant is a beloved vegetable and where meatless dishes like this one are cooked with olive oil and served at room temperature.

Ingredienti

• 4 medium Eggplants
• 200 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 3 medium Onions
• 600 g Peeled tomatoes
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 30 g Fresh parsley
• 15 g Salt
• 2 g Black pepper
• 1 whole Lemon
• 100 ml Water
• 5 g Sugar

Preparazione

1. Wash the eggplants and dry them well. Cut them in half lengthwise, leaving the stem attached. With a small knife, score the flesh deeply (2-3 cm) along the full length, leaving about 1 cm of border intact, and open the slit well with your fingers to create a real cavity for the filling. Sprinkle the eggplants with 10 g of salt, including inside the cavity, and place them flesh-side down on a rack or in a colander: let them rest for 30 minutes, until they have released dark, bitter droplets of water.
2. While the eggplants rest, prepare the filling. Finely chop the onions. Crush the garlic with the flat of the knife and mince it finely. Chop the parsley only at the moment of use so it keeps its color and aroma.
3. In a wide pan, heat 60 ml of oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until soft, translucent and sweet, lightly golden but not burnt.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the crushed peeled tomatoes, 5 g of salt, the pepper and the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, simmering gently, for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is thick and concentrated and coats the spoon. Turn off the heat, stir in half of the parsley and taste: the flavor should be intense and balanced, without watery notes of raw tomato.
5. Rinse the eggplants under cold water for about 1 minute to remove the salt and bitterness, then pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. In a pan, heat 80 ml of oil over medium heat and brown the eggplant halves, starting from the flesh side, for 8-10 minutes total, turning them, until golden and tender (alternatively, bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, brushed with oil). Transfer them to a baking dish with the cavity facing up.
6. Fill the cavity of each eggplant with the onion and tomato filling, without overflowing. Pour 100 ml of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the eggplants with the remaining oil (about 60 ml). Arrange a few thin lemon slices on top (after squeezing a little juice over the filling).
7. Cover the baking dish with tightly sealed foil and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes, so the eggplants steam-braise in their vapor. Uncover and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes to lightly brown the surface and reduce the cooking liquid. The eggplants are ready when the skin yields easily to the pressure of a finger.
8. Remove from the oven using oven gloves. Let the eggplants cool in the baking dish for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour: they are served warm or at room temperature (also excellent the next day). Before serving, drizzle with the oil and juices collected at the bottom and sprinkle with the remaining chopped fresh parsley.