Smoky Eggplant And Chickpea Spread

Total Time: 42 mins Preparation Time: 12 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-2 lb) eggplants
• 15 ounces low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup tahini, stirred well
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili paste, ground fresh (or more to taste)
• fresh parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400°f heat a grill pan to high.
• 2 using a fork, poke eggplant five or six times so it won't explode when it cooks. place eggplant on grill and cook, turning a few times, until skin is charred well, about 10 to 15 minutes. transfer eggplant to a baking sheet to finish cooking in oven until very soft when pierced with a skewer, about 20 minutes remove eggplant and allow it to sit at room temperature until cool enough to handle. peel away skin and discard.
• 3 cut peeled eggplant into pieces so it will fit into a food processor or blender. add chickpeas along with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. if too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture reaches desired consistency. taste and make any adjustments to seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper.