Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Sauce

• servings: 2 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

⠓ cup tahini

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 lemon juiced (2-3 tbsp)

½ tsp sea salt

¼-½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

⠛-¼ cup water (start with ⠛ cup and add more to reach desired consistency)

2-3 globe eggplants

2 tbsp avocado oil or raw sesame oil (not toasted sesame oil)

2 tbsp za’atar spice

¼ cup water

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

A handful of fresh herbs (mint, flat leaf parsley, and/or dill)

2-3 tbsp toasted pine nuts (see notes)

1 tsp chili flakes

Toasted baguette

Directions

Tahini Sauce:

Add all ingredients except water into a medium bowl or a jar. Whisk together until well combined. Add water slowly until reached desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Roasted Eggplant:

Slice your eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a small knife or the tip of a bigger one, make small incisions in a crosshatch pattern, careful not to cut through the skin. The sharper your knife the easier this is to do.

Drizzle the eggplants evenly with avocado oil. Add more if needed, eggplants are very spongy and absorb liquid easily.

Sprinkle on the za’atar spice and press it into all the little crevices you made earlier.

Add a splash of water to the bottom of the pan and roast 40-50 minutes. Add more water as needed. The water helps to steam the eggplant a little and to make sure it doesn’t burn. You can drizzle a little over the eggplants too if they look too dry.

The eggplants are ready when they’re very soft and brown on the edges.Â

Serving:

Arrange the eggplants on a serving plate, and drizzle with tahini sauce and a little bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts, and chili flakes. Serve with a toasted baguette or a choice of protein.Â