Spicy Roasted Eggplant Spread With Pita Triangles Recipes

ISRAELI EGGPLANT PITAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚. Toss the eggplants in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until dark brown, flipping halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs and cook, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil, 9 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool, about 5 minutes. Peel and slice the eggs.
• Whisk the tahini, 1/3 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1 more tablespoon of water, if needed, to loosen.
• Halve the tomatoes lengthwise, remove the seeds, chop and put in a medium bowl. Chop the cucumbers and parsley and add to the tomatoes along with the remaining 1 tablespoon each olive oil and lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; toss well.
• Warm the pitas directly on the oven rack, about 1 minute. Spread the pitas with the hummus, then drizzle with some of the tahini sauce. Top with the eggplant and eggs; season with salt and pepper. Top with the tomato-cucumber salad, the remaining tahini sauce and the banana peppers.

SPICY ROASTED EGGPLANT SPREAD WITH PITA TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Eggplant Spread: Preheat oven to 450. Spray 2 large (shiny) baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk oil and next 4 ingrediants in large bowl. Add eggplant, bell peppers, and onions. Toss to coat. Divide mixture between the two sheets. Roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally, about 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on sheets. Transfer half of vegetable mixture to food processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse puree forms. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley. Can be made one day ahead. Cover, chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Pita Triangles: Preheat oven to 450. Place pita triangles on large baking sheet. Arrange in single layer. Spray with olive oil. Lightly salt and pepper (optional). Bake about 3 minutes. Take pan out of oven and flip over the triangles. Spray with olive oil. Return to oven and bake another 3-4 minutes. Cool completely. Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

ROASTED EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.
• Cool slightly.
• Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND OLIVE SPREAD WITH PITA BREAD CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Pierce eggplants with fork. Place on baking sheet. Roast until skins are blackened and eggplants are soft, turning occasionally, about 1 hour. Cut eggplants in half. Spoon flesh into strainer set over bowl; drain 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Meanwhile, brush pita rounds lightly with oil. Sprinkle pita rounds with salt and pepper. Cut each pita round into 6 wedges. Arrange wedges on clean baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 4 minutes; cool.
• Transfer drained eggplant to medium bowl. Mix in olives, garlic, vinegar, cumin and 1 tablespoon oil. Season spread with salt and pepper. Mound in small bowl. Serve with chips.

ROASTED EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Mix first 4 ingredients. Place vegetables in a large bowl; toss with oil mixture. Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Roast vegetables until softened and lightly browned, 45-50 minutes, stirring once., Transfer to a food processor; cool slightly. Add tomato paste; pulse just until blended (mixture should be chunky)., Transfer to a bowl; cool completely. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

SMOKY EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal fire or heat the broiler. Pierce eggplants here and there with the point of a paring knife. Place eggplants 2 inches from heat source. Allow skins to blister and char, turning with tongs until entire surface is blackened and eggplants are completely soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and lay skin side down on a cutting board. Carefully scrape away flesh with a knife and put it in a colander. Discard burned skins. Do not rinse eggplant flesh - a few bits of remaining char is fine. Salt flesh lightly and leave for 5 to 10 minutes, then squeeze into a ball to remove liquid.
• Blitz eggplant, 1/2 teaspoon salt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne in a food processor or blender to obtain a creamy purée. (For a more rustic spread, beat with a whisk instead.) Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice if necessary. Transfer mixture to a shallow serving bowl.
• Just before serving, stir together cumin and olive oil, and spoon over the mixture's surface. Sprinkle with paprika, parsley and mint. Serve with warm pita cut into triangles if desired.

STRANGE FLAVOR EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Prick the eggplant several times with a fork, and remove the leaves. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven, turning over once, until tender. Remove from the oven, and slit open to cool.
• While the eggplant are still warm, remove the stem end and peel. Cut into chunks, and place them in the container of a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
• In a small dish, combine the garlic, ginger, green onions, and red pepper flakes. In a separate dish, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and hot water.
• Heat a wok over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water. Pour in the peanut oil, and swirl to coat the wok. When the oil is hot, dump in the garlic mixture, and stir-fry for about 15 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the eggplant puree, cooking just until heated through. Remove to a serving dish, and stir in the sesame oil. Allow to cool, and serve at room temperature as a spread for the bread.