Time: 25 minutes, plus resting time Serves: 6 or more
Recipe: adapted from The Mediterranean Dish
Baba ganoush is a popular levantine appetizer made by thoroughly roasting eggplants, traditionally over a fire or grill so the flesh has a smoky flavor. Baba ganoush is very simple to make, only requires a few ingredients, and is a great alternative to hummus during eggplant season in the summer.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplant
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 large clove garlic
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tsp sumac (fine if you don’t have this)
- ¾ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ cup olive oil, more as needed
- Garnish options: parsley, toasted pine nuts, smoked paprika, olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to broil and use the top rack of the oven
- If the eggplant is large, cut it in half and place the halves cut side down. If the eggplants are small, poke holes in the skin and place them on the baking sheet whole. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the flesh of the eggplant is very tender and the skin is a bit charred.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven and let cool before using a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin into a fine mesh strainer in the sink. For a minute or two, use the spoon to stir the eggplant flesh in the strainer, allowing all of the excess liquid to drain.
- In a food processor, start by pulsing garlic until minced. Then add tahini and lemon juice and blend until it’s a smooth paste. Blending the tahini and lemon juice together before adding the eggplant is important for getting a smooth texture.
- Next add the eggplant and a pinch of salt and mix white slowly adding the olive oil until creamy. Add herbs and seasonings last and pulse to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add your desired garnishes and serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold at a later time as part of a mezze platter, as a dip with veggies, in a pita pocket, or whatever other tasty ways interest you!