Spiced Fava Ganoush Baba Ganoush With A Twist Recipes

BABA GANOUSH RECIPE

Steps:

• First, smoke or grill the eggplant. Turn one gas burner on medium-high. Place the eggplant directly over the flame. Using a pair of tongs, turn the eggplant every 5 minutes or so until it is tender and the skin is charred and crispy on all sides (20 minutes.) The eggplant should deflate and become super tender. supposed to. If you don't have a gas burner you can use a grill. You can also roast the eggplant in the oven (see notes).
• Remove the eggplant from the heat and transfer it to a large colander over a bowl. Allow it to sit and drain for a few minutes until fully cooled and all excess water has been drained (it helps if you open the eggplant up a bit and push on it with a knife or a spoon to help it release its juices).
• Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, peel the charred crispy skin off (it should come right off). Discard the skin and the stem (don't worry if a few bits of the skin remain, that is just added flavor).
• Transfer the cooked and fully drained eggplant to a bowl. Use a fork to break it down into smaller pieces. Add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, Greek yogurt (if using) salt, pepper, sumac, Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or a fork until well-combined.
• Cover the baba ganoush and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
• To serve, transfer the baba ganoush to a rimmed serving dish or a bowl. Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toasted pine nuts, if you like. Serve with pita wedges or pita chips and veggies of your choice!

SPICED FAVA-GANOUSH (BABA GANOUSH WITH A TWIST!)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F Wash the eggplant, cut off the stem and prick all over with a fork. Place in a lightly heated glass dish, and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the skin is wrinkled and blistered, and the eggplant "deflates" slightly (it may also be grilled, if desired). It should be very soft when poked with a fork. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool.
• Peel skin off the eggplant and discard, roughly chop the pulp and place in a food processor or chopper. Chop the eggplant until smooth, but not liquified. Add the drained fava beans, garlic, dried chili pepper, olive oil, all the spices and about half the tahini and lemon juice.
• Process until smooth, taste and adjust the tahini, lemon juice, and spices if needed.
• Serve with pita wedges, vegetable crudites, chips, or on its own! It would be fine at room temperature, but I like it best when it's been heated up a bit in the microwave and is a bit warm. It tastes much better the day after, too!
• Enjoy!