Roasted Eggplant Dip with Spiced Pita Crisps

By akselden

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb.) Italian eggplant
• 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for roasting garlic
• 3 6-inch pitas
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus additional to taste
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place eggplant in baking dish just large enough to hold it, and pierce 2 or 3 times with tip of knife. Place garlic cloves on small square of foil, splash with oil, and wrap. Put foil packet in dish with eggplant and bake until garlic is soft, about 35 min. Remove garlic and let cool in foil. Continue to bake eggplant until soft and almost collapsed, about 25 more min. Remove and let cool. Cut pitas in half, peel apart to make quarters, and brush with oil. In small bowl combine kosher salt, paprika and cayenne, and sprinkle over pita quarters. Stack and cut pita into wedges (3 per quarter). Spread wedges or: baking sheets, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 min. Cut stem from cooled eggplant, pull off skin, and discard. Chop flesh and set aside. Peel garlic cloves and put in food processor. Add parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add eggplant, I tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil; pulse until just combined. Add salt and more lemon or oil to taste, and pulse.