Imam Bayildi

A traditional Middle Eastern vegetarian dish that is very tasty and rather easy to cook. Accompany with a salad (lettuce or boiled leafy greens go nicely), Greek feta cheese, and oven potatoes. All Greek 'ladera' - oily dishes - taste better when cool. This dish often tastes even better the next day reheated.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 287 Calories

Ingredients

• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
• olive oil for frying
• 2 large eggplants, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and flesh scored
• 4 red onions, halved and thinly sliced, or more to taste
• 2 tomatoes, diced, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs, or to taste
• 1 drizzle olive oil, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add eggplants, flesh down. Fry, turning frequently, until soft and fully saturated in oil, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a shallow, square baking dish and let cool slightly.

Step 3

While eggplants are cooling, add onions and garlic to the hot frying pan over medium heat, adding more oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Fry until onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and parsley; reduce heat to medium-low and fry lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Push down soft, fleshy insides of eggplants using a spoon, creating space inside of them. Pour onion mixture evenly into each half. Sprinkle each with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until soft and mushy and topping is crispy, about 40 minutes.

Step 6

Remove from the oven and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.