Smoky Eggplant Dip

15 min prepServes 6 people

Ingredients:

For Smoky Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush):
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 2 tbsp tahini paste
  • 1 ½ tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp sumac, more for garnish
  • ¾ tsp Aleppo pepper
  • 1/ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Toasted pine nuts for garnish
For Salad Topping:
  • 1 Tomato, diced
  • ½ English Cucumber, diced
  • Large handful fresh parsley
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ½ tsp sumac
  • Splash fresh lemon juice
  • Drizzle Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil
  • Wellington Traditional Water Crackers for dipping

Directions

  1. Make the salad topping. In a bowl add tomato, cucumber, and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and sumac. Add lemon juice and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss and set aside.
  2. Smoke Eggplant: Turn 1 gas burner on high. Using a pair of tongs, turn eggplant every 5 minutes or so until the eggplant is completely tender and it’s skin is charred and crispy (about 15 to 20 minutes.) Don’t worry if the eggplant deflates, it’s supposed to. Remove from heat and let the eggplant cool.
  3. Remove Eggplant Skin & Drain Excess Water. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, peel the charred crispy skin off. Discard the stem. Transfer eggplant flesh to a colander; let drain for 3 minutes.
  4. Blend the Dip. Transfer eggplant flesh to the bowl of a food processor. Add tahini paste, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Sumac, Aleppo pepper, crushed red pepper (if using.) Give it just a couple of pulses to combine.
  5. Transfer the smoky eggplant dip (baba ganoush) to a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes).
  6. Bring eggplant dip to room temperature. Top with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add pine nuts. Spoon the salad on top (be sure to drain any excess liquid before adding on top of the baba ganoush).
  7. Serve with Wellington Traditional Water Crackers
credit matt @Mattbaugh02