Imam Bayildi
Recipe: #34332
February 17, 2020
Categories: Eggplant, Onions, Peppers, Greek, Middle Eastern, Oven Bake, Gluten-Free No Eggs, Vegetarian, Kosher Dairy, Vegetarian Dinner, more
"This recipe can be cut in half easily. It came from my mother, Constance Wagner. There is a story behind this well-known dish: "The name supposedly derives from a tale of a Turkish imam, who swooned with pleasure at the flavour when presented with this dish by his wife, although other more humorous accounts suggest that he fainted upon hearing the cost of the ingredients or the amount of oil used to cook the dish" (from Wikipedia entry, "Imam Bayildi")."
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (440.6 g)
- Calories 299.6
- Total Fat - 19.5 g
- Saturated Fat - 5.3 g
- Cholesterol - 15.8 mg
- Sodium - 806.2 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 23.6 g
- Dietary Fiber - 9.5 g
- Sugars - 13 g
- Protein - 11.8 g
- Calcium - 318.8 mg
- Iron - 2 mg
- Vitamin C - 63.9 mg
- Thiamin - 0.2 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
In large pot, cover eggplants with boiling water. Do not crowd them. Cook fast 5 minutes, turning with wooden spoon.
Step 2
Cool fast in cold water.
Step 3
Skin tomatoes by immersing in boiling water for no more than 1 minute first (skins will peel off easily), squeeze out the seeds and juice, drain on a paper towel, and cube.
Step 4
Split eggplants lengthwise, cut around the inside ½ inch from edge. Cut pulp checkerboard, not too deep. Scoop out diced pulp, being careful not to pierce eggplant skin. Put pulp in fridge.
Step 5
Chill eggplant shells skin up on paper towels till ready for filling.
Step 6
FILLING:
Step 7
Step 8
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in it 5 minutes.
Step 9
Add garlic and diced eggplant.
Step 10
Cover, cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 11
Stir in seasonings, cook 2 minutes. Remove.
Step 12
Gently stir in tomatoes.
Step 13
After adding these ingredients to a large bowl, mix inthe remaining 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice.
Step 14
Chill at least 4 hours.
Step 15
Step 16
Dry shells on their insides, then pile in the vegetables.
Step 17
Put shells in greased 9"x13"x2" pan, brush with butter. Cover and bake at 325' F. 20 minutes.
Step 18
Sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese after removing cover and bake about 30 minutes more or until crusty on top.
Step 19
Sprinkle with chopped parsley (and optional pine nuts).
Tips
- Pine nuts can be added with the parsley.