There are many ways to make Baba Ghanoush. Some recipes suggest salting the eggplant and letting it drain before cooking. Others say to discard the skins after cooking, and puree the insides. This recipe is more rustic in the preparation method; making use of the extra flavor, texture and nutrients in the edible skin. Letting the eggplant drain is not necessary, as any excess moisture will evaporate while roasting.
Ingredients:
1 lb eggplant
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tbs sesame tahini
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 tsp paprika
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove stem from eggplant and slice into wedges or large chunks. Place in a baking dish or tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with kosher salt.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The eggplant should be quite soft with golden-brown edges, but not dry when it's done.
Place roasted eggplant in a bowl and cut into small chunks using kitchen shears.
Add the rest of the ingredients plus one Tbs olive oil, and pound with a mortar or wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined and the texture is soft enough to spread or use as a dip.
Season to taste, and garnish with Toasted Garlic Drizzling Oil. Serve with pita chips, sliced raw vegetables, or use as a spread for sandwiches.