Baba Ganoush Recipe

Roast eggplants

Preheat a grill or broiler to high (or heat a gas burner). Prick eggplants a few times with a fork. Place directly on the grill grate or under the broiler about 6 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes until the skin is charred and the flesh is very soft, about 20–30 minutes total. If using a gas burner, hold with tongs and rotate until evenly blackened. Transfer roasted eggplants to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or place in a sealed container to steam for 10 minutes — this helps loosen the skin and reduce bitterness.

Prep garlic confit

While eggplants roast, combine 8 garlic cloves and 1/2 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a very gentle simmer over low heat and cook until cloves are soft and pale golden, about 25–30 minutes. Keep oil at a low temperature — do not brown the garlic. Remove from heat and let cool in oil.

Remove eggplant flesh

When eggplants are cool enough to handle, peel and discard charred skins and drain any excess liquid. Place flesh in a colander for 5 minutes to remove excess moisture, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Use a fork to roughly mash the flesh (keep some texture) or pulse briefly in a food processor for a silkier texture — do not over-process.

Season the roasted eggplant

To the mashed eggplant add 1/2 cup white tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt and lemon as needed.

Prepare grated tomato and aromatics

Peel and grate the ripe tomato, discarding most seeds and excess juice; collect about 1/2 cup pulp. Thinly slice 3 scallions and finely chop 1/2 cup parsley. Remove the garlic cloves from the confit and mash 4 of them into a paste; reserve the remaining confit cloves for garnish or additional mixing. Stir the mashed confit-garlic into the eggplant mixture, reserving 1 teaspoon of the confit oil to drizzle if desired.

Assemble with labaneh

Spread the 1 cup labaneh in a shallow serving bowl or on a platter in a flat layer. Spoon the seasoned eggplant mash on top of the labaneh, creating a shallow well in the center for toppings. Smooth the edges so both labaneh and eggplant are visible.

Finish and garnish

Spoon the grated tomato into the well or scatter over the eggplant. Sprinkle the sliced scallions and chopped parsley evenly. Drizzle the reserved confit oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over the top. Sprinkle the optional 1/2 teaspoon sumac and a pinch of smoked paprika for color. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Warm the 2 pitas briefly on the grill, in a dry skillet, or wrapped in foil in a low oven (3–5 minutes) until pliable and slightly toasted. Cut each pita into halves or quarters for serving alongside the baba ganoush.

Serve immediately: place the plated baba ganoush with labaneh at the center of the table with warm pita pieces. Encourage guests to scoop layers of labaneh and eggplant together for contrast of tangy and smoky flavors.