Roasted Eggplant with Tahini
2 large and long eggplants
Recommended Videos
2-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Za’atar
salt and pepper
Preheat your oven to 225˚F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, stem to end. Use a paring knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, about ¼-inch deep. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil. Continue brushing the eggplant until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with Za’atar and some salt and pepper. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes. The flesh should be tender and golden brown.
For serving:
sumac, sprinkled over the top
pomegranate seeds
chopped parsley
Greek yogurt tahini sauce (recipe below)
Greek Yogurt Tahini Sauce
12-ounce container Tahini (turn your container upside down 12 hours before using to help mix it)
¼ cup Greek yogurt
2 gloves garlic, roughly chopped
juice of 1-2 lemons
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ½ -3 cups water
kosher salt
To clean your pomegranate: cut the pomegranate in half. Hold one half over a bowl, with the cut side against your palm, and use the back of a heavy spoon or a rolling pin to knock on the pomegranate skin. Continue beating with increasing power until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into the bowl. Fill the bowl with water and discard any white skin or membrane.
To make the sauce:
Puree the tahini, Greek yogurt, garlic cloves, half of the lemon juice, half of the water and a big pinch of salt together. If the tahini is too thick, add a little water until you reach the desired consistency. Add the oil. The mixture should be thin enough to drizzle over the eggplant. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon and salt, if needed.
To serve:
Transfer the eggplant, cut side up, to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with Greek yogurt tahini, then sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, sumac and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.