Patlican Salatasi (Smoky Aubergine Salad)
Fire-roasted aubergines folded through garlic, lemon and good olive oil — the smoky meze that disappears first from every Turkish table.
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Ingredients
3 large aubergines (about 900g)
3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with salt
Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tbsp)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 ripe tomato, deseeded and finely diced
1 sivri (long green) pepper, finely chopped
A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (pul biber), to finish
Instructions
- 1
Prick the aubergines a few times with a knife, then char them directly over a gas flame or under a very hot grill for 25-35 minutes, turning often, until the skins are blackened and the flesh is completely soft.
- 2
Set the aubergines in a colander until cool enough to handle, then peel away the burnt skin, keeping as much smoky flesh as possible.
- 3
Sprinkle the flesh with half the lemon juice and let it drain in the colander for 10 minutes so the salad is not watery or bitter.
- 4
Chop the drained flesh roughly with a knife — a food processor turns it gluey, so resist the temptation.
- 5
Whisk the garlic paste, remaining lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and salt in a large bowl, then fold in the aubergine.
- 6
Stir through the diced tomato, green pepper and most of the parsley, then taste and adjust the salt and lemon.
- 7
Chill for at least 30 minutes, then serve at room temperature topped with the remaining parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of pul biber.
Patlican salatasi is the meze that tells you how good a Turkish cook really is. There is no clever technique to hide behind — just aubergines charred until the skin blisters and the flesh turns silky, then dressed simply with garlic, lemon and olive oil. The smoke is the whole point, so do not rush that stage.
In a UK kitchen the easiest route is to sit the aubergines directly on a gas hob flame, turning with tongs, or to blast them under the hottest grill setting until the skins are blackened all over and the aubergines collapse. An oven at 220C works too; you lose a little smoke but gain convenience. A splash of lemon juice while the flesh drains keeps the salad pale rather than grey.
Serve it at room temperature with warm pita bread, a scatter of parsley and a final swirl of extra virgin olive oil. It sits happily in the fridge for two days, and the flavour actually improves overnight. You can find the aubergines, olive oil and every spice in this recipe at Turkish Online Market, delivered anywhere in the UK.
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