Turkish Eggplant and Tomato Bake with Cheese Recipe
A layered bake made from slices of eggplant, tomatoes, and cheese is the lighter, vegetable-forward side of Turkish cuisine. It’s a bit like Italian parmigiana, but less heavy because it uses less cheese and more fresh vegetables. Perfect for a summer lunch or dinner when you want something filling but meat-free.
This dish combines the comforting idea of a cheesy bake with the freshness of Mediterranean vegetables. It has the layered, rich character of a gratin or parmigiana, but thanks to the high proportion of vegetables and moderate amount of cheese, it stays light enough for warm days and suits both vegetarians and meat-eaters.
Chef's tips
Salt and drain the eggplant thoroughly so it absorbs less oil when frying and keeps a pleasant texture. Don’t rush the tomato sauce—those extra minutes of simmering deepen the flavor and prevent the bake from becoming watery. If your tomatoes are not very ripe, add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
How to serve
Serve warm, cut into squares or rectangles. It pairs well with a crisp green salad, cucumber and yogurt salad, or a simple tomato and onion salad. For a more Turkish-style spread, add olives, fresh herbs, and flatbread on the side. It also works nicely as part of a mezze-style table with other small dishes.
Ingredients
- eggplant - 2 pieces
- tomato - 4 pieces
- cheese grated, semi-hard or melting cheese of your choice - 150 g
- onion - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- olive oil - 5 tablespoons
- tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- parsley finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
- oregano dried - 1 teaspoon
- salt - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Wash the eggplants and slice them lengthwise into slices about 0.7 cm thick; sprinkle them lightly with salt on both sides and set aside in a colander for 15 minutes so they release some liquid and any bitterness.
- After this time, rinse the eggplant slices under running water and pat them very dry with paper towels.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the eggplant slices in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side, until they soften slightly and are lightly browned; add a little more olive oil if needed.
- Transfer the fried slices to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off excess fat.
- Peel the onion and dice it finely; peel the garlic and chop it finely.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent without browning.
- Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
- Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel off the skins, dice the flesh and add to the pan together with the tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook for 8–10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Finely chop the parsley and add it to the sauce at the end of cooking, stir and remove the pan from the heat.
- Grate the cheese on a coarse grater.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish, spread some of the tomato sauce over them and sprinkle with some of the cheese; repeat the layers, finishing with a thin layer of cheese on top.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the edges of the sauce are gently bubbling.
- Remove the bake from the oven and let it stand for 5–10 minutes to cool slightly and set so it’s easier to slice, then serve in portions.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce w naczyniu przykrytym folią; podgrzewaj w piekarniku lub na patelni pod przykryciem, możesz też zamrozić pojedyncze porcje do 2 miesięcy.
