Photo of Turkish-style stuffed aubergines by WW

Turkish-style stuffed aubergines

4
Points® value
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
The Turkish name for this dish is imam bayildi; apparently, it means ‘imam fainted’ – because it tasted so good! Great for a meat-free day

Ingredients

Aubergine

4 medium, halved lengthways

Olive Oil

1 tablespoon(s)

Onion

1 large, finely chopped

Celery, Raw

1 stick(s), finely chopped

Garlic

2 clove(s), finely sliced

Peppers, all types

3 medium, deseeded and sliced into thin strips

Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon(s), level

Paprika

1 teaspoon(s), level

Ground Cinnamon

½ teaspoon(s), level

Tinned Tomatoes

2 can(s), large

Red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon(s)

Pomegranate Molasses

1 tablespoon(s)

Light feta cheese

120 g

Mint, Fresh

1 sprig(s), to garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6. Using a knife, score the aubergine flesh in a crisscross pattern. Put on a baking tray, brush with half the oil and bake for 30-35 minutes until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and celery for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes until they start to soften.
  3. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and molasses. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the veg is tender.
  4. Remove the aubergines from the oven, let cool a little, then scoop out the flesh, leaving enough shell so the aubergines don’t collapse.
  5. Stir the aubergine flesh into the tomato and pepper mixture. Season well. Spoon back into the aubergine shells and bake for 20-25 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Serve topped with the feta and garnished with the mint.

Notes

If cooking on the BBQ, wrap each stuffed aubergine in foil to stop them falling apart on the grill