Baba Ganoush Spread as a Mediterranean Appetizer for Any Time of Day

Would you like to travel without even leaving the comfort of your own home? Well then why not try our new Baba Ganoush spread for breakfast. If you would like to eat it like a local Mediterreanean person, take the crease of your round pita bread and break off a small piece. Use the crease to pick up a bit of the spread. Don't forget to put a little extra virgin olive oil on top and dust it with some Sumac which tastes a bit like a spicy Paprika if you have none on hand. Another fun way to eat your Baba Ganouj is to spread it on the inside of a warm pita and have it as part of your Shawarma or Falafel Sandwich for Lunch or Dinner. Another fun topping is some Tabboulah Herb Tomato Salad, or Jerusalem Salad.

Baba Ganoush Eggplant Small Plate Appetizer

Serves Four

Ingredients

One very large eggplant

Six cloves roasted garlic

Juice of one large lemon

1/4 cup Tahini sesame seed paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 Tablespoon sumac spice for dusting or 1 Tablespoon more paparika

1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil and a bit more for drizzling

Method

1) On a cookie sheet lined with parchment place your eggplant washed and covered with a bit of olive oil. Prick all over with a fork and roast at 375 F for twenty to thirty minutes turning every five to seven minutes a quarter turn. Place some garlic in some foil. First cut off the top and drizzle with oil and place inside with the eggplant.

2) Remove the eggplant and let it cool. Continue roasting the garlic until soft ten to twenty more minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine your lemon juice, with the tahini. Next place in the inner portion of your eggplant, the six cloves roasted garlic, and the dry spices. In a food processor, or by hand mash until smooth. Mix in the parsley.

3) On a beautiful plate or in a bowl make a slight indentation in the center of your prepared baba ganouj. Drizzle some extra virgin oil there and around the edges slightly. Sprinkle with the paprika or Sumac and some additional parsley.

Serve as an appetizer or as part of a Mediterranean style breakfast.

World Cuisine Today Magazine August 31, 2018