Antep Sögürme

Preparation

• 1
  Preheat the oven grill to 240° C.
• 2
  Prick the eggplants several times with a skewer and grill them on a piece of aluminum foil directly under the grill until soft, about 20 minutes, turning them several times. Then let them cool until they can be handled.
• 3
  Scrape the flesh from the eggplants with a spoon or peel off the skin in strips. Finely chop the flesh and mix with half a teaspoon of salt. Place the chopped flesh in a bowl, mixing it with any remaining liquid, and set aside.
• 4
  Cut the onions into small cubes. Heat the olive oil in a coated pan and add the onions.
• 5
  Sauté the onions over low heat for at least 20 minutes until they are soft and sweet. Occasionally add a tablespoon of water to prevent them from browning too quickly.
• 6
  Score the bottom of the tomatoes crosswise, blanch them with boiling water, quench them in cold water, and peel off the skin. Then cut them into cubes. Cut the bell pepper into small cubes.
• 7
  Once the onions are soft and sweet, add the chopped bell pepper and sauté for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Season with freshly ground black pepper and chili powder.
• 8
  Add the chopped tomatoes and let them simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Once a large part of the liquid has evaporated, add the chopped eggplant flesh and stir it in. Bring to a boil once and, if necessary, add a little water or continue to reduce until the desired consistency is reached. Season generously with pepper again.
• 9
  Season with smoked paprika powder and salt if the Antep Söğürme does not yet taste intensely smoky and fruity.
• 10
  Finally, let it cool slightly and then stir in the chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.