Burnt Eggplant
Burnt Eggplant is a delicious Middle Eastern appetizer. Served alongside pita chips, this roasted and smashed eggplant is topped with homemade tahina, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and drizzled with olive oil.
It’s pretty and easy and tastes amazing!!
My friend, Laura, and her daughter, Daphne, invited a group of us to a zoom cooking class led by Rami Tal (check out @cookingwithrami on Instagram). Rami is an Australian chef now living in Israel who is good friends with Daphne and was willing to show a group of us some very traditional and simple recipes to make. This burnt eggplant was one of many delicious recipes!
The first step to making this delicious appetizer is to roast the eggplant. Poke some holes in it with a fork and place it on a sheet pan. Broil in on all sides until it’s blackened and very soft. It took me about 45 minutes using a large eggplant.
While that’s cooking, make the tahina. Begin with tahini, water and lemon juice. Mix them together and see if it’s the consistency that you like. I prefer for it to be spreadable and a touch runny. Add more tahini if it’s too thin or more water if it’s too thick. Set it aside.
Remove the eggplant from the oven once it is soft and charred. Carefully peel the skin off but try to leave the eggplant whole, with the stem still attached.
Using a fork, smash the eggplant so that it spreads across the platter.
Top with tahina and spread it all over the eggplant.
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the tahina and sprinkle pomegranate seeds over that.
Garnish with parsley leaves and serve with pita chips or crackers.
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Burnt Eggplant
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large eggplant
- 6 tbsp tahini
- 6 tbsp water (more if necessary)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- kosher salt
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- parsley leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 500˚F. Poke holes in eggplant every few inches with a fork and place on a sheet pan. Place in oven on rack about 6 inches from top heating element. Turn every 10 minutes until slightly charred and very soft (I had a large eggplant and it took about 45 minutes).
While the eggplant is cooking, make the tahina. Combine tahini, water, lemon juice and salt and whisk until the consistency you like is reached. I like it so that it is spreadable. You can add more tahini if it’s too thin or more water if it’s too thick. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Once the eggplant is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes so you can handle it. Holding the stem end (do not cut the stem off), remove the skin so that the eggplant is still whole but without skin. Lay on your serving platter and using a fork, gently spread it open while lightly mashing.
Spread tahina over the top of the eggplant and garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley leaves. Serve with crackers or pita.
Recipe by Rami Tal
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