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Image   Babaganouj (as explained to me by an Egyptian student I met inFlorence) A large eggplantJuice from 1/2 lemon3 garlic cloves1 T. Olive oil- extra virgin preferably 
   
  1. Take the eggplant and roast it slowly on a grill, rotating it until all sides are blackened and starting to crack a bit. The eggplant should literally fall out of its skin, or you can scoop it out with a large spoon.  If you do not have a grill, cut the eggplant in half. Brush the cut side with olive oil and place face down on a baking tray. You can broil it on HI until the skin is charred sufficiently and the flesh is loose.

  1. Put the eggplant in a cuisine art and blend until smooth with the 3 cloves of garlic, the lemon juice and olive oil. The hot eggplant should cook the garlic a bit. If you like garlic without a bite, you can put the 3 cloves with their skin on in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until the skin pops (you will hear it). Then peel and add to the puree.

  ***The Egyptian did not have a food processor. He just cut it up into slurpy chunks and stirred it together with finely diced fresh garlic. That is lovely too, served on toasted slices of ciabatta bread with extra olive oil, but you will exude the garlic for days if it is that fresh.    

Aubergines Baked with Tomato and Cheese (from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking)   4 med. to lg. eggplants ~ 2.5 lbs 2/3 c. sunflower oil 2/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan (or cheddar cheese)   Sauce: 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves-crushed 2 14oz. cans of tomatoes 1 tsp. tomato paste ½ tsp. sugar ½ tsp. dried Greek oregano 2-3 tsp. flat leaf parsley-chopped Salt and black ground pepper  

  1. Trim eggplant and slice length-wise into1/2 in. thick slices.
  2. Heat oil in pan and fry the slices briefly in batches. Lift out when golden on both sides and drain on a plate covered with sheets of kitchen paper.
  3. Arrange eggplant slices in 2 or 3 layers in a baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Make the sauce: Heat oil gently in a large pan over a medium heat until hot. Add garlic and saute for a few seconds, then add the canned tomatoes, the tomato puree, sugar and dried Greek oregano, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 25-35 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and velvety, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the chopped parsley and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Spread the sauce over the eggplant and cover them. Sprinkle the cheese on the top and bake the for 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

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