If you’re looking for a little something to serve up as an appetizer, then try this easy recipe for Middle Eastern, Baba Ganoush. It’s a fabulous tangy, tasty roasted eggplant dip with garlic, tahini and lemon. I swear I love this stuff so much, I git me some fresh pita bread and make me a meal out of this dip! YUM!
Baba Ganoush
Recipe by: Bobbi Jo Lathan
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
PREP TIME
15 mins
COOK TIME
40 mins
TOTAL TIME
55 mins
INGREDIENTS
2 medium sized Italian eggplants
3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons Tahini
1 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 425°. Git out a roasting pan and cover it in parchment paper.
Cut your eggplants in half, lengthwise. Turn the eggplants flesh-side-up and lightly salt. Now, let them sit for about 10 minutes. The eggplants will begin to seep some watery substance (which can be bitter), so after the 10 minutes rinse the watery substance away under your faucet and then pat them dry. Place them flesh-side-down on the parchment paper and score the backside skins of the eggplants (3 or 4 scores-slits) to insure they cook evenly. Then, roast in your 425° oven for 30-40 minutes. You want the eggplants to be all wrinkled and very soft, so check them after 30 minutes and if they are still a little hard in some places, leave them for 5-10 more minutes. Then, remove them from the oven and let them cool before you try to remove the skins.
Once they have cooled, remove the skins and place the eggplant meat into a colander. Stir it around in the colander with a fork or spoon to get out any extra water. (I have a friend that actually spins the eggplant meat in her salad spinner to get out any extra water. Each to his own!)
Depending on whether you like your Baba Ganoush more chunky or more smooth, you can either get out a mixing bowl and, for a more chunky texture, use a whisk and whisk the eggplant in all the rest of the ingredients, the garlic, lemon, tahini, and salt. Or you can add all the ingredients into a food processor and and pulse for a smoother texture.
Once you’ve mixed it all together, place it in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap and place the Baba Ganoush in your refrigerator ( in order for all the ingredients to meld together) for at least one or two hours. This step really makes a difference in the taste!
When you’re ready to serve, take the Baba Ganoush out of the refrigerator. Serve it up with some toasted pita bread (cut into triangles),a little drizzle of good virgin olive oil on top, along with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, and dig in! YUM! So good!
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