Turkish Eggplant Aubergine Casserole Recipes

TURKISH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Wash and peel eggplants, leaving some skin on, and cut into 1 cm cubes.
• Heat oil in a cooking pan.
• Add eggplant, onion, pepper and garlic and saute for 10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add thyme and season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
• Serve over Turkish Pilav.

IMAM BAYILDI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Slit the eggplants down the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the outer skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven and transfer, cut side down, to a colander set in the sink. Allow to drain for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender, 5 to 8 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil.
• Turn the eggplants over and place in the pan, cut side up. Season with salt. Fill with the onion and tomato mixture. Mix together the remaining olive oil, the remaining sugar, the water and the lemon juice. Drizzle over and around the eggplants. Cover the pan and place over low heat. Cook gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, checking the pan for liquid and basting from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and adding water to the pan if it becomes too dry. By the end of cooking the eggplants should be practically flat and the liquid in the pan slightly caramelized. Spoon this juice over the eggplant. Allow to cool in the pan, and serve at room temperature.

TURKISH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PILAF (PATLICANLI PILAV)

Steps:

• Cut eggplants into large cubes with skin on. Place in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. Leave for 30 minutes.
• Rince and dry eggplant with paper towels.
• Half onion lengthwise and slice.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy pan and fry eggplant cubes until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
• Add the remaining oil and gently fry the onion until transparent. Add tomatoes, seasoning, herbs and fried eggplant. Bring to a boil.
• Wash rice until the water runs clear. Drain and place on top of the eggplant mixture. Add chicken stock.
• Bring to a boil without stirring. Reduce heat, cover pan and leave to simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Turn off heat, place a few paper towels over the rim of the pan and replace the lid (This is important don't ignore this part or your pilav won't be as fluffy!).
• Stir gently and turn into a heated serving dish.
• Serve with yogurt and then enjoy the delicious taste.

TURKISH STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray large shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
• Scoop out flesh from eggplants, cut into chunks and reserve.
• Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Place upside down on paper towels; let stand 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, spray large skillet with cooking spray.
• Cook garlic and onion over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, reserved eggplant flesh and allspice.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until eggplant is just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in parsley, lemon juice, remaining salt and pepper.
• Pat eggplant shells dry with paper towels.
• Spoon eggplant mixture loosely into shells.
• Place filled shells in prepared baking dish.
• Cover with foil and bake until shells are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Remove foil; sprinkle tops evenly with feta cheese.
• Bake for 10 more minutes, then serve.

HUNKAR BEGENDI (TURKISH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CREAM)

Steps:

• Grill eggplants whole without peeling them by holding over a flame and turning slowly, or prick skin in several places and set in hot oven.
• When the skin begins to break and the inside pulp feels soft, slip off the skin; discard sacs containing seeds and chop up pulp; put pulp in a saucepan.
• Mix lemon juice with pulp and simmer until very soft, stirring often (10-15 minutes).
• Meanwhile, melt butter, add flour to it and allow flour to brown.
• Beat the butter and flour mixture into the eggplant.
• Slowly add several tablespoons of hot milk and the nutmeg and continue beating until mixture resembles mashed potatoes.
• Lastly add several tablespoons of grated cheese and cook several minutes more.
• Serve immediately.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Heat oil in saucepan.
• Sauté eggplant and onion until soft.
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir through margarine until melted.
• Add remainder of ingredients, and combine well.
• Transfer to a casserole dish, and bake until golden and bubbling, approx 45 minutes.