Köpoğlu (Izmir-Style Eggplant with Tomato Sauce and Garlic Yogurt)

Peel the eggplants in alternating strips and cut them into 1 cm-thick rounds. Salt the slices in layers in a colander, cover them with a plate, and let them release their juices for 20 minutes. The liquid collecting below should be slightly brown rather than clear; that is where the bitterness drains away.

Press both sides of the slices with paper towels to dry them; salty water left on the surface will splatter in hot oil. Heat the oil to 175°C / 345°F and fry the slices in a single layer without overlapping. Fry each side for 2–3 minutes; when the edges turn golden, remove the slices and drain them in a colander.

Grate the tomatoes, thinly slice the pointed peppers into rings, and crush the garlic. Heat the olive oil and sauté the pepper for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, followed by the tomatoes. Simmer until a spoon drawn through the center leaves the bottom visible for 1 second; add the salt and red pepper flakes just before removing the sauce from the heat.

Mash the garlic with the salt, add it to the strained yogurt, and whisk with a fork until smooth. If the yogurt has just come out of the refrigerator, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes; ice-cold yogurt will quickly thin under the hot sauce.

Spread the yogurt over the bottom of a serving platter, then arrange the fried eggplant slices on top, overlapping them slightly. Spoon the cooled tomato sauce over the eggplant, leaving some of the yogurt visible around the edges. Serve at room temperature without mixing the layers.