Imam Baildi Aka Stuffed Eggplant (aubergine)

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs japanese eggplants
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cups onions, thinly sliced
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 cups tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 cut ends off the eggplants/aubergines.
• 3 make an opening for the stuffing by using a sharp knife and slicing the eggplant from the stem end down to the other, make sure that you don't cut them all the way through.
• 4 in a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat.
• 5 fry the eggplant gently.
• 6 if needed, you can add some more oil in the frying pan.
• 7 remove the eggplant from the skillet and place in an 8"x8" baking dish.
• 8 sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 9 add the remainder of the olive oil to the same skillet.
• 10 sautee the onions and garlic in it until they are slightly golden being careful to not burn the garlic.
• 11 you want the vegetables soft.
• 12 add the fresh tomatoes and half a cupful of water to the skillet.
• 13 add the oregano, sugar, more salt and pepper.
• 14 simmer covered, for 15 minutes.
• 15 remove stuffing from heat.
• 16 fill the eggplants with this stuffing.
• 17 they will be slightly open as they don't need to be closed back over the stuffing mixture so be very generous.
• 18 bake for 4o minutes; basting them at least once.