As one of the traditional dishes in Turkish cuisine, there are various versions of Imam Bayildi (translated as ‘Imam fainted’). It is said that an Imam once fainted before eating this dish, when he saw the amount of olive oil in the recipe as olive oil was so expensive in those times. I first tried Imam Bayildi while sailing with my family on a gulet in Turkey, severed as part of a meze at dinner with Tzatziki and fresh warm rolls - simply delicious! We have been liberal with the olive oil!
Serves: 6 (as starter) or 3 (as main course)
Ingredients:
3 large fresh aubergines (eggplants)
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil,
plus extra for brushing
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 large white onion, finely sliced
8 ripe plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Small bunch flat leaf parsley (washed and finely chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
Tzatziki:
150g tub Greek yoghurt
½ cucumber (seeds removed and grated)
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
Warm fresh crunchy bread rolls.
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 190C/170C fan, Gas 5. Wash the aubergines. Using a sharp knife slice the aubergine from stem to opposite end. Score the flesh side deeply making sure not to cut through skin. Brush with a good layer of olive oil and place on ovenproof dish. Cook for 20 minutes in pre-heated oven until flesh is soft enough to scrape out. Leave to cool. Next, in a frying pan add some olive oil and sauté the sliced onions until soft. Add cinnamon, crushed garlic and cook for one minute. When the aubergines are cooled, scoop out the flesh and chop roughly, add to the onion mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Prepare the tomatoes by scoring the tops and plunge into hot water. Remove skin and scoop out the seeds and juice into a sieve over a bowl and chop the flesh. Add to pan and cook for about 10 minutes until soft. Here you can add more olive oil if needed. Stir in the chopped parsley leaving a little to sprinkle over the top when serving. Spoon the filling into the aubergine halves, pour over the juice from the tomatoes, drizzle over more olive oil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the aubergines are cooked. Baste at least once. Serve as a starter or a side dish to grilled fish or lamb.
Tzatziki:
Mix all ingredients together and put into a serving dish.
Bon appétit!