Quick Baba Ganoush
The babaganoush, also known as eggplants dip, is a sauce with eggplants, a typical appetizer of Middle Eastern cuisine, composed of a cream of eggplants seasoned with mint and tahini. Tahini is a cream made of sesame seeds toasted and processed to become a delicious cream that can be used in many courses (such as hummus) thanks to its delicate aroma. Baba ganoush has an earthy taste and should be served cold with warm bread or in a pita with chickpeas falafel: in this way it releases all its aromas.
How to make Babaganoush
Wash well the eggplants under running water, dry them and place them on a baking sheet 1. Bake the eggplants at 180° C for about an hour and a half or two hours, until the inner pulp is softened 2. Let the eggplants cool and remove the ends 3.
Wash well the eggplants under running water, dry them and place them on a baking sheet 1. Bake the eggplants at 180° C for about an hour and a half or two hours, until the inner pulp is softened 2. Let the eggplants cool and remove the ends 3.
Cut the eggplants along the long side and remove the pulp helping yourself with a tablespoon 4. Put the obtained pulp in a large bowl and flatten it with a fork 5. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Add tahini and the squeezed and filtred lemon juice 6.
Cut the eggplants along the long side and remove the pulp helping yourself with a tablespoon 4. Put the obtained pulp in a large bowl and flatten it with a fork 5. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Add tahini and the squeezed and filtred lemon juice 6.
Finely chop the garlic and add it to the eggplants mixture 7. Take a few leaves of fresh mint and cut it finely 8, add it to the eggplants cream and blend well 9. Serve the cold babaganoush.
Finely chop the garlic and add it to the eggplants mixture 7. Take a few leaves of fresh mint and cut it finely 8, add it to the eggplants cream and blend well 9. Serve the cold babaganoush.
What to serve with Baba ganoush
Babaganoush can be served with toasted pita slices or with nachos. If you want to respect the Mediterranean origin, serve this baba ganoush with herb hummus or tahini sauce and fresh salads.
How to store and freeze babaganoush
Babaganoush can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. In case you are unable to eat it immediately I suggest you to freeze it, even if it is so quick to prepare that perhaps it is worth preparing it the day you want to serve it on the table.
Tips
If you have little time available and you can not cook the eggplants in the oven for an hour and a half, you can use the microwave oven. Wash the eggplants and dry them with a cotton cloth, then with the fork prongs pierce the surface of all three eggplants and place them in the microwave oven for about 5 minutes at 640w. Let the eggplants cool and proceed as in the original recipe.
If you do not like the taste of sesame seeds, or if you are allergic to them, you can prepare babaganoush without tahini. Replace it with something creamy, like Greek yogurt, to make it thick.
