Baba Ganoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)
Baba Ganoush is a delicious eggplant based dip similar to yet quite different than hummus. You can roast in the eggplant in the oven or on the grill, then throw everything in your food processor and just like that you have yourself a perfect appetizer dip. Serve your Baba Ganoush with pita, tortilla chips, fresh veggies, naan or try it as a sandwich spread.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, stem removed
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp tahini
- ¼ tsp cumin
- juice of 1 lemon
- small handful of flat-leaf parsley, stems removed (set a few aside for a garnish)
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (use more or less depending on desired consistency)
- pinch of paprika (smoked or sweet depending on your preference) garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Using a sharp knife, poke about 15-20 holes all around the eggplant and wrap tightly in tin foil. Roast until very tender and the skin is collapsing, about 35-40 minutes. Alternately you could roast your eggplant on the grill, just be aware of the temperature (often it is higher than the oven) and you’ll have to adjust the cook time accordingly (see note below).
- Carefully open up foil and let the eggplant cool for a few minutes. Once it is cool enough to touch, remove the skin (it should peel off quite easily) and place the flesh of the eggplant in a colander to let any moisture drip out.
- Fit a food processor with the metal blade. With the machine running, drop the garlic cloves though the feeding tube (this will help them to mince evenly). Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the olive oil to the work bowl, pulse 3-4 times and then scrape down the sides. With the machine running, stream the olive oil through the feeding tube until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle some olive oil on top, then dust with paprika and garnish parley leaves (this is totally for looks, but will make you feel like a pro, so I recommend going for it!). Serve with tortilla chips, pita wedges, sliced veggies or use as a spread on sandwiches.
Notes
- I’ve found that even if you “over cook” the eggplant, this still comes out great. You want the eggplant nice and tender, so if you’re not sure, cook it for a few extra minutes.
- I often double this recipe to have some extra for a sandwich spread the next day.