Baba Ganoush before Supper

Baba Ganoush before Supper keeps the shopping list focused on eggplants approximately 2 pounds, tahini sesame paste, and fresh lemon juice. It serves 10 people.

Count on 30 minutes of prep, 30 minutes of cooking, about 1 hour from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

• 2 medium eggplants approximately 2 pounds
• ¼ cup tahini sesame paste
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves coarsely chopped for serving
• Quality olive oil for drizzling

How the cooking goes

1. Heat your broiler and line a rimmed sheet pan with baking paper.
2. Prick eggplants several times on each side with a fork and broil on sheet pan for 2 minutes on each side (four sides). This adds the smoky flavor to the baba! Yay!
3. Switch your oven from the broiler and preheat to 375°F without removing the eggplants from the oven. Roast eggplants 25 to 30 minutes or until very soft. Cool until you can easily handle them.
4. While your eggplants cool, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Keep it to one side.
5. Split the eggplants, drain of excess liquid, spoon out the flesh, then add it to the tahini mixture.
6. Mash the eggplants into the tahini mixture with a fork until it is creamy and only very small lumps remain. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley right before serving!
7. Serve with toasted pita, warm soft pita or pita chips!

After it comes off the heat

Give the plate the rest the method asks for. Cover leftovers and refrigerate them when the dish includes meat, eggs, or dairy.

If you want another plate from Appetizers, open Gougères before Supper and Tzatziki for the First Plate.