Μελιτζάνες Ιμάμ Μπαϊλντί (Melitzanes Imam Baildi)
Tender baked whole aubergines slit open and stuffed with sweet slow-caramelized onions, garlic, ripe tomatoes, and fresh parsley, baked in olive oil until melting.
Ingredients
- • 4 medium aubergines, halved lengthwise or striped-peeled with a slit in the centre
- • 3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
- • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- • 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, 1 tsp sugar
- • 100ml Greek extra virgin olive oil, 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped, salt and pepper
Preparation Steps
Fry or roast aubergines in 3 tbsp olive oil for 8 minutes until softened. Slit open the centre of each aubergine with a spoon to create a pocket. Place in a baking dish.
In a skillet, cook sliced onions in 4 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until sweet and golden. Add garlic, chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper, simmering for 10 minutes.
Off heat, stir parsley into the onion-tomato mixture. Spoon generously into the cavity of each aubergine, letting extra sauce spill around the dish.
Drizzle remaining olive oil over top. Bake at 180°C for 45-50 minutes until aubergines are meltingly tender and sweet. Serve warm or at room temperature.