Wynette Richards

Baba Ganoush (Roasted Eggplant Spread/Dip)

We made up this recipe after looking at a bunch of recipes on the web. It's a delicious dip or sandwich spread and easy to make. It keeps well left over.

The Recipe

• 1 large or 2 small eggplants
• olive oil
• salt
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 T. tahini (sesame seed butter)
• juice from 1 small lemon or 1/2 large lemon
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves (optional)

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the eggplant into slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
3. Salt the eggplant.
4. If you don't plan to remove the peel later, you can cut each slice into smaller pieces. (See note below about peeling vs not-peeling.)
5. Put eggplant slices or pieces into a large bowl, pour in some olive oil, toss so the eggplant is lightly coated with the oil. Adjust oil accordingly.
6. Spread into a roasting pan. If you left larges slices, lay one slice deep. If you cut into smaller pieces, spread out evenly.
7. Roast till golden brown. Careful not to burn. If you left large slices, turn to roast both sides. If you cut into smaller pieces, just stir every 5 minutes or so till golden brown.
8. Remove hot eggplant from the pan and wrap with aluminum foil.
9. Leave in the foil for about 10 minutes to steam and soften a bit more.
10. If you left larger slices, peel the skin off of each slice. (Use your fingers or a knife.)
11. Put the roasted eggplant and all the other ingredients into a blender.
12. Blend till mixed and creamy.
13. Taste and blend in more salt or lemon juice or garlic or oil or tahini or parsley if you wish.
14. Serve with pita bread or dipping vegetables or chips.

• We've found it's a lot easier and faster to roast smaller pieces and to leave the peel on. The texture and taste is fine. Might even be healthier.
• But it's not a lot of trouble to peel if you leave the eggplant in large slices while roasting, as described above.

• Substitute cilantro or basil for the parsley.