Melitzanes Imam Recipes

BAKED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES - MELITZANES IMAM

Steps:

• Remove the tops and bottoms of the eggplants. Cut them in half lengthwise to create eggplant boats.
• Place the eggplants in a big bowl with cold water and soak them for 30 minutes. You may place a plate on top to weigh them down. The soaking helps remove the bitter flavor from eggplants skin.
• Preheat oven to 230°C / 446°F.
• Drain the eggplants and place in a casserole dish. Score them with a knife creating deep criss-cross lines to help the eggplants bake well in the center. Take the 1 cup of olive oil and using a spoon, add spoonfuls of the oil on each eggplant.
• Season the eggplants with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Bake for 30 minutes until nicely roasted on top. Meanwhile, start preparing the tomato sauce.
• Heat the splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion slices and cook until completely softened.
• Stir in the tomatoes and season with some kosher salt, ground pepper, and ground nutmeg. Cook for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally, until tomatoes start to drain and become mushy. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more stirring occasionally.
• Using a fork press the eggplants a bit to make some space for the sauce to sit on. Add spoonfuls of the sauce on the eggplant boats. Reduce heat to 160°C / 320°F and slow-cook the eggplants for about 35 minutes. Then raise the temperature again to 200°C / 392°F and roast the eggplants for about 10-15 minutes more.
• Serve with chopped fresh parsley on top.

MELITZANES IMAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and hollow out the halves leaving about a 1 centimeter shell. Set the flesh from the insides aside for later use. Place the shells on a baking tray, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
• Bake for about 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until soft.
• While those are baking, chop the leftover eggplant into small pieces. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir for a few minutes. Add the chopped eggplant; cook and stir until tender. Mix in the tomatoes and tomato paste until well blended. Simmer over low heat until the halves in the oven are ready.
• Remove the baked eggplant shells from the oven, and spoon in the tomato and eggplant mixture. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the top of each one, and return them to the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes or so.