Saveur – July 2019

TURKEY to LONDON

Turkish Stuffed Eggplants
SERVES 8
Active: 40 min. • Total: 1 hr., plus cooling

T his dish is be st ser ve d at room temperature
after the flavors have had time to settle. Be
sure to finish it with a liberal drizzle of olive oil.

4 medium eggplants (1¾ lb. total)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus
more for drizzling
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
(2½ cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
(1½ cups)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced (1 Tbsp.)
1½ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. sweet paprika

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian

parsley leaves, divided

1 Place a rack in the center of the oven, and

preheat to 375°F. Halve the eggplants length-

wise, and place the halves cut side up on a large

baking sheet. Using a sharp paring knife, make

three deep cuts into the flesh, taking care not

to puncture the skin. Season the cut sides of

each half with salt and black pepper, and driz-

zle each half with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast until

tender and cooked through, 30–35 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a large skil-

let, heat the remaining ¼ cup oil over medium

heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring fre-

quently, until soft and lightly caramelized,

20–22 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, garlic,

cumin, paprika, and cinnamon, and season

with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and con-

tinue cooking until the peppers have softened,

5 minutes more. Uncover the skillet, and stir in

¼ cup of the parsley.

3 When the eggplants are completely soft,

remove from the oven. Using a fork, lightly

ma sh down the fl e sh of each half to create a

well. Spoon the pepper and onion mixture into

the eggplants (about 1½ tablespoons per half).

Cover with foil, return to the oven, and roast

until very soft, about 20 minutes more.

4 Remove, uncover, and let cool to room tem-

perature. Transfer to a large platter, sprinkle

with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and

drizzle liberally with olive oil just before serving.

65

“We’re all mixed,

and that’s a good

thing. But anyway,

I always identify

as a Londoner first

and foremost.”