another eggplant!

"aw, geez," i thought, opening the crisper and discovering the eggplant i'd forgotten all about. i can not stomach throwing food away, and this eggplant had already been in the fridge for 5 or 6 days. gotta act quick. how about a baba ghanoush? got everything i need for it right here, and while i'm at it, may as well make some pita bread.

for the pita, i followed this recipe exactly. it worked great.

everything was smooth sailing, except that in such a hot oven loose flour begins to get a little smoky. now at least i know that the smoke detector works...

baba ghanoush

1 large eggplant

2 Tbsp tahini

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

broil eggplant 10 minutes. turn a couple of times during broiling. (can also grill.)

reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake another 10 minutes, or until very soft.

let cool, then pull off skin and drain flesh of extra moisture. pulse flesh in food processor to a smooth consistency. remove eggplant puree to bowl.

add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. mix, and check seasonings. season to taste, according to how much garlic, lemon, and tahini you prefer. top with drizzle of olive oil and chopped parsley. serve with warm pita bread.

so easy, and so very, very tasty. i'd eat this all night if we weren't going out for dinner!