Aubergine Imam is a famous Greek dish with eggplants stuffed with yummy tomatoes, onions, and spices. Its name, “the imam fainted,” tells you how good it tastes! You can make it for a simple veggie dinner or a fancy meatless meal. It’s super tasty, looks nice, and people all around the world, especially Greeks, love it. You should totally give it a try at home!
The name comes from a story about a Turkish imam who loved the dish so much he fainted when his wife made it. Some funny tales say he fainted when he heard how much the ingredients cost or how much oil was used. Another story is about an imam who got olive oil as part of his wife’s dowry, but when they ran out, he fainted.
People in different places like Bulgaria, Israel, North Macedonia, Romania, Greece, Albania, Kosovo, Armenia, and the Arab world all know and love Imam Bayildi. It’s also called “Imam bayildin.” in English. Long ago, during Ottoman times, the dish also went to Anatolia’s Pontian minority, and they call it imam-bayildin.
Ingredients:
For the base:
– 8 eggplants, chopped
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– Salt
– Pepper
– 1 tbsp thyme
For the filling:
– 4 large onions
– 4 tbsp olive oil
– 6 cloves of garlic
– 1 tbsp crystal sugar
– 1/2 tsp cumin
– Salt
– Pepper
– 1 tbsp tomato paste
– 400 gr chopped tomatoes (concasse)
– 1 tbsp thyme
For serving:
– 1/3 bunch of parsley
– Pepper
– Olive oil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (Turbo setting).
- Use a knife to make 3 horizontal slits on one side of each eggplant. Gently open them without breaking and add 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the eggplants in a baking tray and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- In a pan, add sugar, cumin, salt, pepper, and sauté over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the onions caramelize. Add the tomato paste, tomato concasse, thyme, and mix. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Take the eggplants out of the oven and press with a spoon where you made the slits to create space for the filling. Divide the filling among all the eggplants, sprinkle with feta, pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Spread the arugula on the serving plate and place the eggplants on top. Garnish with chopped parsley, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil or also mashed feta cheese! Serve and enjoy!
     Kali Orexi! (Bon appétit!)
