İmam bayıldı recipe

Aubergines, plenty of onion, garlic and tomato cooked slowly in olive oil. One of the best-loved olive oil dishes, served warm or cold.

What goes with it?

Prepare the aubergines
Peel them in stripes, soak in salted water for 20 minutes and pat dry. Soften them in half a glass of olive oil, turning to cook every side.
Cook the onions
In the remaining oil, soften the onions over a low heat until translucent without taking on colour. Add the garlic.
Finish the filling
Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and cook until the juices reduce. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley.
Stuff
Arrange the aubergines in the pan, slit each lengthways down the middle and fill with the mixture.
Simmer gently
Pour the hot water in at the side of the pan. Cover and cook on the lowest heat until the aubergines are completely soft. Cool in the pan.

Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Take it out half an hour before serving.

The name is said to come from an imam who fainted on tasting the dish. Other stories say he fainted at the amount of olive oil used.