Ingredients

1 large eggplant
Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (optional)
1 ½ Tbsp tahini paste
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp lime or lemon juice, more if you like
Salt and pepper
1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (eliminate if you prefer mild)
1/2 tsp sumac**, more for garnish (optional)
Toasted pine nuts for garnish
Parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Trim the top of the eggplant and cut in half vertically, and using your knife, make a few slits in the skin.

2. Sprinkle the eggplant flesh with salt and let it sit for a few minutes to "sweat out" it's bitterness, then dab dry.

3. Place the eggplant halves, flesh side down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in the 425 degree F heated-oven for 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant fully softens through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4. When the eggplant has cooled, scoop the flesh out and transfer to a colander. Let drain for 3 minutes.

5.Transfer eggplant flesh to the bowl of a food processor attached with a blade. Add the yogurt, tahini, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, sumac and cayenne. Pulse or run the food processor ever so briefly just until everything is blended (avoid over-blending).

6. Transfer the baba ganoush spread to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour (if you don't have the time, try refrigerating for a few minutes to let the flavors meld and the baba ganoush thicken a bit.) Just before serving, top the baba ganoush with a sprinkle of sumac, olive oil, toasted pine nuts and parsley leaves. Enjoy with a side of warm pita bread.

*Mezze takes the party platter or charcuterie board to a whole new level of delicious. Mezze is basically small plates for sharing; often thought of as appetizers. Typical mezze contains small dishes, hot or cold, spicy or savory. Seafood dishes such as grilled octopus may be included, along with salads, sliced hard-boiled eggs, garlic bread, kalamata olives, fava beans, fried, grilled or roasted vegetables, hummus, baba ganoush, feta and other cheeses, etc.

Tapas vs Mezze: Tapas are little dishes from Spain which are normally served with a drink and can vary from a simple bowl of olives to more complex dishes such as stuffed mussels. Mezze (or meze) are a selection of small dishes, either served alone, as an appetizer or first course.

** What is sumac? The majority of sumac found in grocery stores and marketplaces is ground from the dried berries of the sumac bush and sold as a coarse powder. It is a standard ingredient in the Mediterranean spice blend za’atar. It can be used as a substitute for lemon juice or vinegar, and has a less pungent, overpowering flavor than its acidic counterparts.

July 2021

APPETIZER · vegetarian · all