Dilek's Beğendi: Roasted Eggplant Gratin Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight), an iconic Ottoman dish that pairs a slow-cooked lamb or beef stew with a velvety, smoky eggplant purée. Holds special meaning to me. The first time I tasted this delicious dish was at our son's wedding in Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorous. Magical. This recipe is from his MIL, Dilek!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Turkish
Keyword: Begendi, cheddar cheese, eggplant, mozarella, puree
Eggplant:
- 1 jar Sera brand roasted eggplant* 23 ounces
- 2-3 fresh globe eggplants Instead of jarred eggplant, see notes
Bechamel Sauce
- 1/2 stick butter, unsalted or salted 4 ounces
- 2–3 tbsp (heaping tablespoons) all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese Substitute cheddar or Gruyere for Mozzarella. I do a blend of 1:1 Mozzarella:Gruyere.
- 1-2 tbsp Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, grated Optional. I throw 1 T in the eggplant mixture with the other cheeses and the 2nd T is sprinkled on top.
- salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns lightly golden.
Gradually add the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
Cook until the sauce thickens to a creamy béchamel consistency — it should not be too runny.
Stir in the roasted eggplant and about 1/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top and bake at 350°F until the top is golden and bubbly.
*This recipe really makes it easy by starting with jarred roasted eggplant. You can start with fresh eggplant and char them over an open flame or on an outdoor grill. Follow instructions on the lamb stew recipe for the eggplant. For this recipe you would char 2 medium eggplants for the recipe.
I usually make this by eye, so the measurements are approximate. If the béchamel sauce turns out too thin, you can add a little more flour to thicken it.