İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Eggplant in Olive Oil)

Method

1. 1

   Peel the eggplants in zebra stripes, then fry whole in half the olive oil, turning, until softened and golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Set in a baking dish.

2. 2

   In the same pan, cook the onions slowly in the remaining oil until sweet and translucent, 10 minutes.

   💡 Slow, pale and sweet — browning the onions changes the character of the dish.

3. 3

   Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes; stir in most of the parsley.

4. 4

   Slit each eggplant lengthwise without cutting through, open like a pocket, and pack in the filling. Top with tomato slices.

5. 5

   Pour 100 ml of water and the lemon juice around them, cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Cool to room temperature — never serve hot — and finish with the last of the parsley.

   💡 Made a day ahead, it is genuinely better; the oil and juices settle into the flesh.