Chagigah Kitchen: Baba Ghanouj

All right, Chagigah fans, we’ve played it safe so far. We’ve made gazpacho, we’ve made knish, we’ve made latkes, and we’ve made blintzes. All these dishes are low maintenance to make, delicious for the family, and some of our personal favorites here at Chagigah. This week we’ve going big—the mother of all deliciousness, we give you a delicious recipes for baba ghanouj! As always, if you want to share your old favorite family recipes, think we’re missing an ingredient, or if there’s a dish you’d love to share with the Chagigah Kitchen, you can always e-mail us at chagigah@wers.org. Be sure to tune in to Chagigah this Sunday from 8AM to 11AM, and remember to eat healthy and often. Until next time!

Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients:
• 2 medium eggplants, about 1-1/2 pounds total
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 olives for garnish
• Warmed chunks of pita bread for serving

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450° F. Prick eggplants with a fork. Arrange on non-stick cooking sheet and bake until tender and collapsed, 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Place flesh in a food processor with a metal blade and process until smooth. If you prefer to mash by hand, use a fork or potato masher. Add lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and process (or mash) until well blended. Slowly add 3 tablespoons olive oil until mixture is creamy. Chill for at least two hours. Serve in a shallow bowl. Drizzle olive oil over top, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with olives.

By Jamie Loftus