Babaganoush, or eggplant caviar, is a sauce of Middle Eastern origin, but also popular in North Africa in various versions. A dip mainly made of eggplant pulp and various spices. Those who know me know that I love trying even non-Italian recipes and learning something different from our culinary traditions.
A recipe with a unique flavor and easy to prepare. The preparation method involves baking the eggplants, or grilling them, to obtain a soft pulp with a slightly smoky aftertaste. For this recipe, I cooked the eggplants in an air fryer, a much more practical and quicker cooking method than the traditional oven. Once the pulp is obtained, it is blended with oil, salt, garlic, lemon juice, a few mint leaves, and tahini. The latter is another typical Middle Eastern sauce made by blending sesame seeds into a thick cream. It is also often used in the preparation of hummus.
A typical Middle Eastern dish that can be prepared in a few simple steps with a unique and bold flavor. Babaganoush is a vegetarian recipe, perfect for accompanying naan bread, pita, or spread on flatbread triangles slightly toasted in a pan. Ideal to serve during a buffet or an aperitif with friends and family. Now follow me into the kitchen, because the babaganoush will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other sauces, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 65.53 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.78 (g) of which sugars 4.21 (g)
- Proteins 1.64 (g)
- Fat 3.87 (g) of which saturated 0.56 (g)of which unsaturated 1.20 (g)
- Fibers 3.81 (g)
- Sodium 582.66 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 oval black eggplants
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- sweet paprika (to taste)
- 3 leaves mint
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Blender
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Strainer
Steps
First, wash the eggplants thoroughly and dry them with paper towels. Then, poke them with a fork and place them in the air fryer basket. Cook the eggplants at 375°F for 20 minutes. Alternatively, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them in the oven at 355°F for 30 to 40 minutes.
After the cooking time, let them cool for a few minutes and cut them in half. Remove the stem and skin from the eggplant. You will see that it will come off very easily. Transfer the pulp to a blender and add the juice of half a filtered lemon, salt, pepper, the peeled garlic clove, paprika, a few mint leaves, tahini, and oil. Then blend until you get a thick and homogeneous cream.
Transfer the babaganoush into a small bowl, add a sprinkle of paprika, decorate with a few mint leaves and serve.
Variations and tips
Babaganoush can be stored in the refrigerator for one or two days in a covered container. You can serve it with pita bread, naan bread, or flatbread. Instead of mint leaves, you can garnish the eggplant caviar with chopped parsley.
