
The name of this Turkish dish means “The Imam fainted”. Is it due to the exquisite and rich taste or because he liked the dish so much and he overate?
2 medium onions
2 medium eggplants
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium zucchini (optional)
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf, remove before serving
2 sprigs thyme
5 tbs of olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 c grated cheese – Bulgarian Kashkaval or Gruyere, optional
salt and black pepper to taste
parsley for garnishing, of course!
Cut the vegetables into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Butter or oil a large baking dish. Cover the bottom with onions, then make a layer of zucchini and sprinkle with a little garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Next, make a layer of eggplant/ zucchini and lastly a layer of tomato, seasoning each layer. You can make mixed vegetable layers or arrange them in stripes.
Pour the oil over the surface of the vegetables. Bake at
350° F for one hour. At this time, sprinkle with the cheese (if using), dot with the butter and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. If the vegetables dry out during baking, cover with foil and remove it only the last ten minutes of baking.
Garnish with parsley. Serve warm or cold.