Thursday, January 9, 2020
Turkish Eggplant Casserole with Tomatoes (Imam Bayildi)
Fat’s gotten a bad rap for a long time in the wellness world. It’s not hard to understand why, given that its own name has become synonymous with muffin tops and cankles.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant (or 4 small Italian eggplant), about 1 3/4 pound, thinly sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Dash of cinnamon
- One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly salt the eggplant slices and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Pat the slices dry and set aside.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large oven proof (preferably cast iron) skillet. Pan fry the eggplant in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary between batches so the eggplant doesn't burn, but try not to have too heavy a hand - the pan just needs to be greased. Remove the eggplant to a plate.