1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. With a small sharp paring knife, cut a couple slits in top of eggplant; this keeps the eggplant from bursting open in the oven.
3. Put eggplant directly on the oven rack (slit side up) in the middle of the oven and put the other oven rack below with a cookie sheet on it to catch any drippings from the eggplant.
4. Roast the eggplant until it is fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. When tender remove carefully from oven to a cutting board to cool enough to handle.
With your sharp paring knife, cut the skin off and scoop the flesh out, putting it in your food processor bowl.
6. To the eggplant, add the garlic, allspice, salt, pepper, and parsley.
7. Pulse until the eggplant becomes paste-like, then with motor running, drizzle in just a touch of olive oil, stopping when the paste turns smoother.
8. Scoop out into a serving bowl and serve with a variety of breads, crackers, pita points, celery, or other vegetables.
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This eggplant spread should be served at room temperature, not cold, so the flavors come alive. You can easily make bigger batches. Just double or triple the ingredients as you like.
Although this is like babaganoush (or baba ganoush) it is missing one common ingredient - tahini paste. If you want a true babaganoush, you can add tahini to this recipe. Start with about 3 tablespoons of tahini, pulse with all the ingredients, taste, and add more if desired. You may need less olive oil because the tahini is oily, too.
This is a vegetarian spread and adding tahini paste doesn't change that. Tahini is simply sesame seeds ground into a paste.
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