Long-Simmered Eggplant Stuffed with Farro or Spelt

Name: Long-Simmered Eggplant Stuffed with Farro or Spelt
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: mediterranean, turkish
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds eggplant (2 to 3 medium or 6 small eggplants), cut in half lengthwise; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced very thin; Salt to taste; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 1/2 pounds (3 large or 6 medium) tomatoes, grated or peeled and chopped; 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil; Freshly ground pepper to taste; 1 cup cooked farro or spelt; 1/4 cup water; 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; Additional minced parsley for garnish

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 2 hours, including 1½ hours mostly unsupervised simmering
Rating: 5(98)
Notes: Read community notes

This is a riff on imam bayildi, the long-cooking eggplant dish bathed in tomatoes and onions that is one of the great achievements of Turkish cuisine. I added cooked farro to the tomato-onion mix, making this more like a stuffed eggplant dish. The active cooking time is minimal, but the smothered eggplant must simmer for about 1½ hours to achieve the intense, syrupy sauce and deep, rich flavor that make this dish such a wonder. Make it a day ahead for best results, and serve at room temperature on a hot night.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6

1½pounds eggplant (2 to 3 medium or 6 small eggplants), cut in half lengthwise
¼cup olive oil
1large or 2 medium onions, sliced very thin
Salt to taste
6garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½pounds (3 large or 6 medium) tomatoes, grated or peeled and chopped
¼cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1cup cooked farro or spelt
¼cup water
2½teaspoons sugar
2tablespoons lemon juice
Additional minced parsley for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Slit eggplants down the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size, until outer skin begins to shrivel. Remove from oven and transfer, cut side down, to a colander set in the sink. Allow to drain for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet and add onions. Cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 8 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant. Add tomatoes, herbs, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the cooked farro or spelt. Transfer to a bowl. Taste and adjust salt.
Step 3
Turn eggplants over and place in the pan, cut side up. Season with salt. Gently pull apart at the slit and fill with the onion, tomato and farro mix. Spoon any mix that couldn’t fit inside the eggplant over the top. Mix remaining olive oil, remaining sugar, water and lemon juice. Drizzle over and around the eggplants. Cover the pan and place over low heat. Cook gently for 1 to 1½ hours, basting from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and adding water to the pan if it becomes too dry (this shouldn’t happen; in my experience, the eggplant releases water as it simmers). By the end of cooking, the eggplants should have collapsed significantly and the liquid in the pan should be syrupy or even slightly caramelized. Spoon this over the eggplant. Allow to cool in pan, sprinkle with parsley and serve at room temperature.

Ratings

5 out of 5

98 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

jgk6 years ago

I did a few variations: added chopped wrinkled black olives, replaced the dill/parsley with fresh mint, and added cinnamon. Used red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice. I also used less sugar than called for and replaced the sugar in the glaze with honey. Next time, I'd add a bit more!

Instead of leaving it covered the whole time, I uncovered it for the last half hour so that the water would evaporate and the liquid would reduce. Complex, umami, delicious flavors.

Nick6 years ago

This is a good foundation but to me, recipe as is really lacks bold flavors. I added a can of drained charred tomatoes as well as sudried tomatoes to the mix. I added crushed red pepper when stuffing. I topped with taleggio cheese at end under broiler for a few minutes. I would advise to roast at 350 in oven (covered and uncovered half time) instead of stove top. Gets more flavor.

chatham836 years ago

This was very good and fairly easy to make. I added 2 Tbsp capers before serving and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. I will definitely make this again.

Jackie1 month ago

The ingredient list calls for eggplants cut lengthwise but then lists cutting again in the instructions. Because of this, I cut them fully in half before roasting and then made a slit in the flesh due to the “don’t cut through the skin” part. This is clearly wrong - giving everyone a heads up since the directions are not clear.

Jason Rico2 years ago

You can really use just about any grain or even small pastas. We made it with corn couscous and it was splendid.

Lori3 years ago

This is the best vegan dish I have ever made. I was out of farro so had to use brown rice, I used canned chopped tomatoes instead of fresh, but the eggplant turned out meltingly tender and it was well worth the time. Also, I followed others advice and cooked it at a slow 300 degrees covered instead of on the stove top. Fresh basil and oregano and a dash of cinnamon made this outstanding.

Tony4 years ago

I meant to say, is the eggplant pulp (after roasting the eggplant) supposed to be removed to make room for the farro/tomato/onion filling?

Lori3 years ago

I did not. After roasting, the eggplant became so tender that I could split each half open and stuff them.

Cathy5 years ago

Sounds delicious, and I'd love to try this recipe, but I'm trying to understand how to slit the eggplants down the middle without cutting through the skin?? Thanks.

Jenna5 years ago

I had the same moment of "how is that even a thing"???? Reading further (and consulting with my guy) we decided that it meant to cut a slit on one side, leaving the bottom in tact, like a purse. I am over run with eggplant right now so excited to try this dish.

Nick6 years ago

jgk6 years ago

chatham836 years ago

This was very good and fairly easy to make. I added 2 Tbsp capers before serving and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. I will definitely make this again.

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