Aubergine Meze (Zeytinyağılı Patlıcan Meze)
Ingredients
- 3 small aubergines, Approx. 700 gr. (1 lb.8 oz.)
- cut into 2 cm. (¾") cubes
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 very large beef tomato, peeled and chopped small
- 1 heaped tsp. tomato purée
- 1 Chilli pepper, finely chopped to taste
- optional
- 1 sugar cube
- Salt
- Olive oil to fry, lemon juice to serve
Method
Put enough olive oil in the pan to shallow fry the aubergine cubes. Fry over a medium to hot heat (you need it hot but not so hot that it fries the aubergine too quickly). Add more oil as you need it between frying all the cubes. Some aubergines will soak up more of the oil than others, don’t worry, after being drained on kitchen towel they will be fine and the amount of oil they retains adds to the flavour in the sauce.
Fry the aubergine until golden brown and remove onto a plate lined with kitchen towel. Leave to one side when finished.
Using the same pan, remove all but a tablespoon of any oil left (if all has been used add the oil) and fry the onions on a low heat until nicely softened.* Add the garlic and finely chopped chilli pepper and fry a minute or so before adding the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. Pop in a sugar cube and 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Gently stir round to mix in the tomato purée, put on the lid and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened.
Finally add the aubergine cubes and simmer very gently until the tomatoes cook down - no more than 10 minutes. Season to taste.
Sprinkle in a little finely chopped parsley.
Leave to cool, gently stir in a squeeze or two of lemon juice and serve sprinkled with more chopped parsley.
* Tip: To help soften, after frying the onions a minute or two, add a little water. Keep the lid on until
the water evaporates.
