Aegean Style Baked Stuffed Aubergines

There are a lot of ways of making this Turkish recipe but this one is my absolute favourite. Frying the aubergines as whole makes it less greasy. It is a good idea to pay a visit to Turkish / Middle Eastern food stores where you can find good aubergines.  

This dish is much more delicious the next day and would keep well in the fridge for about 3-4 days. So makes an excellent dinner party starter or vegetarian option as you can prepare well ahead.

 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 Small / Medium Aubergines

1 Large Onion, Chopped

1 Green Pepper, Deseeded and Chopped

1 Red Pepper, Deseeded and Chopped

2 Large Tomatoes, Peeled and Chopped

1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

1 Handful Parsley, Chopped Finely

1/2 Lemon, Squeezed

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Sunflower Oil, For Deep Frying

Pinch of Sugar

Salt and Pepper

1)Wash and dry the aubergines. With a sharp knife peel them lengthwise in stripes. Cut os the stem only, careful not to chop off the aubergine bit as you need to keep it whole.

2) Heat the sunflower oil in a deep frying pan on a high heat. Make sure it is very hot, test it with a piece of toast bread if necessary to see if it is how enough. Fry the whole aubergines until the skin is browned and they are soft inside. That should take around 8-9 minutes. Put them on some kitchen towel to rest.

3) Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of  olive oil in a saucepan on a meidum heat, add the finely chopped onions, cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped peppers, cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste, then chopped tomatoes. Season with pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes on a low heat. After taking off the heat add finely chopped parsley and stir.

4)On an ovenproof dish lay the aubergines next to each other. Split open the aubergines lengthwise, you can use a knife of a teaspoon. Stuff the vegetable mixture in the middle. Drizzle the lemon juice over the stuffed aubergines.

5) Add a few tablespoons of water on the baking tary and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

 

IT IS EVEN MORE DELICIOUS THE NEXT DAY AND WOULD KEEP WELL IN THE FRIDGE FOR ABOUT  3-4 DAYS.