Imam Baildi – stuffed aubergines
Utensils
Fest Magic non stick frypan Ν24 cm – click here
Fest Magic non stick frypan Ν28 cm – click here
Fest Magic non stick rectangular oven tray Ν2 ( 36χ28 cm) – click here
Ingredients for 4 people
4-5 medium sliced onions
4 tbsp. chopped parsley
250 gr. grated tomato
3 tbsp. tomato paste
70 gr. sweet grated Cretan graviera or Kaseri or alternatively 70 gr. slice feta
1 tbsp. sugar
200 ml. refined olive oil for frying
150-200 ml. Virgin olive oil
Salt PepperOptional: 2 cloves of garlic mashed in the filling
Method
1. Prepare the aubergines. Cut the stalks and carve the aubergines lengthwise with three parallel cuts. If needed, add salt to the aubergines and leave them for an hour to remove the bitter nicotine, rinse them in water and wipe them so that they do not splash oil during frying.
2. Prepare the onions. Peel the onions and cut each onion into quarters with the peels. Remove part of the root from each quarter and along with the peels. Grind the top of each quarter of the peel, if necessary, and then cut it into slices.
3. Fry the aubergines. Put the frying oil in the Fest non-stick pan and after it burns, place the aubergines with the scratches underneath. In 3-4 minutes turn them upside down using tongs. After another 3 minutes, squeeze a little with the tongs to make sure they are withered (that is, they become flat with pressure). If they are still green and puffy, turn them over on the open side and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the fried aubergines and place them on Fest’s non stick oven tray with plenty of kitchen paper with the open side facing down to absorb as much oil as possible. Continue the process with the remaining aubergines.
4. Saute the onions (a process that can be done in parallel with frying the aubergines). In another Fest non-stick frying pan, add a little olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and sugar, stir and after they start to sauté, lower the heat and leave them for at least 20′-30 ‘or even for as long as you fry the aubergines, so that they taste delicious by raising sugars.
5. Finish the filling. In the sauteed onions, add the tomato sauce and a tablespoon of tomato paste and stir. Add parsley, salt and pepper, stir and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the liquids are gone.
Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool a bit to make it easier to fill the aubergines. At the same time, grate the cheese that you will use.
6. Prepare the Imam for the oven. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the aubergines in Fest’s non-stick oven tray, from the open side upwards and open them to maximize the surface you can put the filling . Fill each aubergine and at the end add the cheese of your choice (graviera / yellow cheese or feta). Put the remaining two tablespoons of tomato paste between the aubergines to make a sauce and pour the virgin olive oil between them. Put the Imam in the oven.
7. Baking & rest. In 45 ‘at 180C, the Imam must be ready. Remove Fest’s non-stick oven tray from the oven and let it come to room temperature, or at least half an hour at a mildly warm temperature, before serving.
Serving:
Serve this food ideally at room temperature, accompanied by good feta and crispy bread.
Source: Caruso.gr