Turkish Baked Eggplant with Chile, Feta, and Mint

by Diana Henry
from Pure Simple Cooking
(Ten Speed Press, 2009)
Serves 4 as a starter or side dish

I’ve never eaten this in Turkey. Somebody described it to me, and I came up with this dish — so I can’t claim it as authentic but who cares? It is a lip-smacking combination of textures and temperatures. Substantial enough to be a main course if you want to serve it that way.—Diana Henry

convert Ingredients
4 eggplants
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 medium fresh red chiles, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup Greek-style yogurt
A handful of fresh mint leaves, torn
Extra virgin olive oil

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve the eggplants lengthwise and then score a diamond pattern into the flesh of each half on the cut surface, being careful not to cut all the way through. Pour about 10 tbsp olive oil over them and season with salt and pepper. Turn them over to make sure they are well coated. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes.

2. While the eggplants are cooking, saute the onions in 1/4 cup olive oil until soft and golden. Add the garlic and chiles and cook for another 2 minutes, until they are soft as well.

3. When the eggplants are tender put them on a serving plate, cut-side up, and squeeze lemon juice over them. Gently press the cooked flesh down to make a bit of room for the onions. Fill the eggplant cavities with the onion and sprinkle the feta on top.

4. Dab the yogurt over the eggplants and throw on the mint leaves. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top before serving. You can serve this warm or at room temperature.

Recipe © 2007 Diana Henry. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.