THE PRIEST FAINTED (IMAM BAYILDI)
Steps:
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 425° F Peel eggplants leaving lenghtwise stripes, cut in to 1-inch cubes, soak in salted water for 30 minutes, then drain and dry them. Using a large pan over medium high heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley, season with salt, pepper and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring ocasionally about 15 minutes. While sauce is simmiring, place eggplants in a bowl with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, toss until the eggplant cubes are well coated. Transfer the eggplants to a large sized oven-proof pan and spread out in to one layer. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until browned slightly. Remove the pan from the oven. Place the roasted eggplants in the baking dish, spread tomato sauce evenly to cover the eggplants. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven Serve cold and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving Why did the priest faint? You'll see :) )
IMAM BAYILDI
You are served this everywhere in Istanbul and everywhere told this story: the dish is so delicious that the imam or priest to whom it was served simply fainted-"bayildi." (Some people say he was so very thrifty that he fainted at the profligate amount of olive oil used, but since olive oil is no longer especially expensive-and a half cup is not that much, after all-you can enjoy this dish without guilt.) As is almost always the case, the small, light-skinned "Japanese" eggplants work best because they lack the bitterness common to larger eggplants. If you cannot get those, use the smallest eggplants you can find. This dish is always served at room temperature (or cold), so make it ahead of time.
Yield makes 4 or more servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplants and brown on all sides, adjusting the heat and turning as necessary; drain on paper towels. Cut a slit lengthwise in each eggplant, taking care not to cut all the way through, then assemble them in a baking dish that will hold them snugly.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-low; cook the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until very soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes more, then stir in the parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Stuff the onion-tomato mixture into the slits in the eggplants. Pour any remaining pan juices and 3 tablespoons water over the eggplants, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool to room temperature, squeeze the lemon juice on top, and serve.
IMAM BAYILDI
There are many recipes for the iconic Turkish eggplant dish, Imam Bayildi. Most call for much more olive oil than this recipe does. There's quite a bit in this one, but it's a much lighter dish than the classic. Make sure to simmer this over very low heat as it cooks for a long time.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, lunch, main course, side dish
Time 2h45m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Slit the eggplants down the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the outer skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven and transfer, cut side down, to a colander set in the sink. Allow to drain for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender, 5 to 8 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil.
- Turn the eggplants over and place in the pan, cut side up. Season with salt. Fill with the onion and tomato mixture. Mix together the remaining olive oil, the remaining sugar, the water and the lemon juice. Drizzle over and around the eggplants. Cover the pan and place over low heat. Cook gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking the pan for liquid and basting from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and adding water to the pan if it becomes too dry. By the end of cooking the eggplants should be practically flat and the liquid in the pan slightly caramelized. Spoon this juice over the eggplant. Allow to cool in the pan, and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 231, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 1032 milligrams, Sugar 16 grams
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