Baked aubergines in tomato sauce (Melitzanes imam)
Ingredients
- aubergines: 12
- onion: 1, finely chopped
- garlic: 2 cloves, finely chopped
- tomatoes: 6 large, finely chopped
- parsley: 3 tablespoons, finely chopped
- olive oil: 200ml
- lemon juice: from 1 lemon
- salt
- pepper freshly ground
- feta cheese: 180g, to garnish
Directions
Cut aubergines into thick slices. Place in a bowl with water to cover. Salt and leave them for 30 minutes. Mix onion with garlic, tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Drain and dry aubergines. Place in a clay pan with a lid and spread the onion mixture over them.
Pour over the oil, lemon juice and a little water. Cover with aluminium foil and then the lid and bake at 200oC for one hour until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to cool before serving. Garnish with pieces of feta cheese.
Tips
Imam (also called imam baildi) is gastronomic legacy from Constantinople (Istanbul). It literally means “imam has fainted” and the name comes from a myth that says that a muslim priest once tried it and lost his senses, as he got overwhelmed by the flavour.