Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Dip with Toasted Pita Wedges Recipe

                                        Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Dip with Parsley




1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon  extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing eggplant
1 large whole head of garlic, unpeeled
4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves ( I pulse in my food processor)
Preheat oven to 450°F.


Prick eggplant with a fork several times and on a baking sheet brush with oil to coat.
Cut off and discard top quarter of garlic heads, making sure you can see the cloves and place the garlic in middle of a large piece of parhcment paper or you can use foil however it may stick, I only use parchment. Sprinkle garlic with 1 teaspoon oil and fold the garlic completely in parchment paper face down. Place packet next to eggplant on baking sheet and roast in middle of oven, turning eggplant after 30 minutes, 45 to 50 minutes, or until eggplant is very soft and falls down. Cool.

  Transfer eggplant to cutting board. Cut off and discard stem end and halve eggplant lengthwise. Scoop flesh out into a bowl, scraping as close to skin as possible. If there is any liquid pour it out.
Squeeze roasted garlic from skins into a food processor. Add eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, parsley, and salt to taste and blend until smooth and parsley is minced fine. Dip may be made 1 day ahead and chilled,  keeping covered. Transfer dip to a bowl and serve with toasted pita wedges.