Oven-Braised İmam Bayıldı with Slow-Cooked Onions

Method

1. Leave the stalks on, peel the aubergines in stripes, then cut a deep lengthwise slit down one side, stopping 2 cm from each end. Sprinkle the coarse salt inside the slit and all over, set slit-side down in a colander and leave for 30 min. When brown beads appear, rinse, squeeze firmly and pat completely dry. Salted aubergines absorb far less oil and turn creamy inside.

   Add in this stepLong medium aubergines (about 250 g each) 2Coarse salt, for salting the aubergines 1 tsp

2. Heat the frying oil in a 26 cm pan on medium-high heat to about 170 °C (a wooden chopstick should fizz steadily). Lower in the aubergines, laying them away from you, and fry for 9 min, turning every 2 minutes, until deep golden all over and soft when pressed. Stand them on a rack to drain. For 4 servings, fry in two batches. If the oil smokes, lower the heat, and stay by the pan.

   Add in this stepSunflower oil, for frying 150 ml

   medium-high heat

3. Score a cross in the base of each tomato, drop into boiling water on high heat for 30 sec, then straight into cold water and slip off the skins. Seed and finely dice three-quarters of them; slice the rest into 5 mm rounds.

   high heat

4. Slice the onions into thin half-moons, the peppers into rings and the garlic thinly. Warm the olive oil in a 24 cm pan, add the onions and peppers and cook slowly on medium-low heat for 16 min, stirring now and then, until completely soft, pale gold and sweet. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 3¼ tbspOnions, medium 1½Long mild green peppers (or ½ green bell pepper each) 2Garlic cloves 4

   medium-low heat

5. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 1 minute to cook out its rawness, then add the diced tomatoes, sugar, salt and allspice and cook on medium heat for 7 min. The filling should be thick and jammy with no runny liquid, or the aubergines will turn soggy. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.

   Add in this stepTomato paste 1 tbspRipe tomatoes, medium 2¼Sugar 1 tspSalt ¾ tspGround allspice 1 pinchFlat-leaf parsley 7.5 g

   medium heat

6. Heat the oven to 180 °C. Lay the aubergines slit-side up in a 22×16 cm baking dish, push the flesh aside with a spoon to make a pocket and pile in the filling. Top each with tomato slices, pour the hot water around the edges of the dish and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes, medium ¾Hot water 100 mlExtra-virgin olive oil ¾ tbsp

7. Cover with foil and bake on oven for 30 min, then uncover and bake 15 min more, until the tops are glossy, the edges lightly caramelised and the aubergines slumping with tenderness.

   oven

8. Let it cool for 1 h. If you can, chill it overnight and bring it back to room temperature; the flavour deepens a great deal. Just before serving, squeeze over the lemon and scatter with the remaining parsley.

   Add in this stepLemon ½Flat-leaf parsley 2.5 g