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Baba Ganoush with Barberries

Full of a beautiful and bright, tart flavor, dried barberries pack a nutritional punch and are a lovely way to increase variety on the plate as a generous sprinkle goes over this baba ganoush.

Course Side Dish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author Lucia Hawley

Ingredients

  • 2 medium eggplants whole
  • 1/4 cup tahini paste ground sesame seeds
  • 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely grated
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • garnishes can include dried barberries finely chopped parsley leaves, finely chopped mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes or anything else your heart desires!

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating up, slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, coat with a little bit of olive oil so they don't stick to the baking tray, and place cut side down.
  2. Place in the oven and allow to roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until the skin pierces easily and the inner eggplant is fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly.
  3. Scoop the flesh of the eggplant away from the skin, discarding the skin.
  4. Combine the eggplant innards (yum), tahini, grated garlic cloves, lemon juice, sea salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to your serving bowl.
  5. Run a spoon through the baba ganoush a few times to create some lovely looking areas for the garnishes to trickle and fall upon.
  6. Garnish with your choice of dried barberries, parsley, mint, pomegranates, olive oil or additional red pepper flakes.

Recipe Notes

Look for dried barberries in Middle Eastern markets or order online--their Persian name is zereshk.