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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.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium or 4 small eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced very thin
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ pounds (3 large or 6 medium) tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (optional)
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 ½ teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      231 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 290 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Serves 4

Preparation

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  • Advance preparation: You can roast the eggplant through Step 1 and make the filling through Step 2 several hours before assembling and cooking the imam bayildi. Once cooked, the finished dish can sit for several hours.

2 hours 45 minutes

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