Badenjan

Photo: Sheri Wetherell

Ingredients

3 cups small eggplants to make about 1 ¼ when roasted, pulped and sieved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

3 fat cloves garlic, minced or grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, to garnish

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, to garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Prick the eggplants with a fork and put them on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft to the touch. Allow to cool before peeling and mashing them, then leave the pulp in a sieve to drain.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden and then add the drained eggplant mush, cooking it with the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes over a gentle heat, stirring frequently. Take off the heat and turn into a bowl to cool and season with salt and pepper.

Add the yogurt to the cooled eggplant mixture together with the saffron in the now golden water, stirring together well. Turn into a bowl and sprinkle over the mint, toasted pine nuts, and a dribble of oil.