Prep the eggplants: Use a vegetable peeler to peel off half of the skin from each eggplant in long vertical strips. Then sprinkle the outside of each eggplant with some salt (roughly ½ to 1 teaspoon per eggplant, doesn’t need to be exact) then set them aside for a half hour. This is done to draw out the bitterness of the eggplants so don’t skip this step.

Preheat your oven to 350℉, 180℃.

Cook your eggplants: At this point, your salted eggplants will have likely released a decent amount of moisture so use some paper towels to pad them dry. Then brush the 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the outside of each eggplant. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the eggplants on it. Place this in your heated oven and let the eggplants cook for 30 minutes. Then take them out and let them rest.

Make the stuffing: Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large walled pan or skillet then place it over medium heat. Toss in the sliced onions and sautee them for 5 to 8 minutes or until they are softened. Add the minced garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Next add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue to saute everything for another 5 to 8 minutes or until the tomatoes have broken down. Then take the pan/skillet off the heat, toss in the parsley and stir everything together. Finally taste the stuffing and add additional salt and pepper to your liking.

Stuff the eggplants: Cut a lengthwise incision into each eggplant making sure that you don’t cut all the way through. Use a spoon to open these incisions up so that it forms a cavity. Then use the same spoon to transfer the stuffing into these cavities until both eggplants are stuffed.

Make the sauce: Add the olive oil, tomato paste, sugar, water, salt & pepper needed for the sauce to the same pan/skillet you cooked the stuffing in. Use a spoon to stir these ingredients together until the tomato paste has fully dissolved and formed a sauce.

Finish cooking the dish: Transfer your stuffed eggplants to the pan/skillet that has the sauce. Place the pan/skillet over high heat and let the sauce come to a boil. Then cover your pan/skillet with a lid and lower the heat so that the sauce is at a simmer. Let this all cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until the eggplants are nice and soft, and the sauce has slightly reduced.

Transfer your stuffed eggplants to individual plates, pour some of the sauce over them, and enjoy your imam bayildi!