Turkish cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Layered Eggplant Bake

Fried eggplant slices layered in the oven with tomatoes, peppers and onions and cooked in tomato sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 3 eggplants
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 green long peppers
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 80 ml olive oil
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 bunch parsley

Instructions

1. Peel the eggplants in stripes, cut into 1.5 cm thick slices, salt and let drain in a sieve for 15 min., then pat dry.
2. Fry the slices in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 min. per side until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
3. In the same oil, sauté the finely diced onions for 6 min., add the chopped garlic and tomato paste and roast for 1 min.
4. Peel and dice 2 tomatoes, add to the onion mixture with 200 ml water, salt and Aleppo pepper and simmer for 5 min. into a thick sauce.
5. Arrange the eggplant slices like roof tiles in a baking dish, tuck in the remaining tomatoes and the peppers cut into rings, and pour the sauce over the top.
6. Bake at 190 °C (375 °F) for 35–40 min. until the surface has taken on color and the sauce has thickened; sprinkle with parsley and serve lukewarm.