Here is another pasta sauce for Mara. It was actually billed as something
called a "slather" in Vegetarian Times, but after devouring it once as a
vegetable dip, we decided to try it as a pasta sauce. WHAT A WINNER! Even
if you don't think you like eggplant, try this--the combination of flavors
will make your head spin.
Eggplant and Garlic Slather (modified from Veg Times, 9/96)
1 eggplant, about 1 1/5 pounds (all fall we used 5-7 small japanese
eggplants from the garden--more work, but delectable flavor)
1 head garlic (I use 1.5-2 heads)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped basil or parsley (I've never tried the parsley)
2-3 Tbsp nonfat yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
(Note-the balsamic vinegar is a substitution for 2 Tbsp olive oil, and lends
a wonderful little bite to the sauce. The recipe also called for the juice
of 1 lemon plus zest. The first time I made it, I had no lemons. I used
the suggested amount the second time, and it was so lemony, I could barely
eat it. I no longer put any lemon juice in it at all--experiment to see
what you like.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut slits in eggplant(s). Place in a shallow
roasting pan or on a cookie sheet. You can put your garlic on the same pan
after cutting the tops off and wrapping it in tin foil. I always use my
trusty clay garlic roaster, usually crammed full.
Bake garlic and eggplant until eggplant wrinkles and starts to collapse;
about 1 to 1.25 hours. Remove from oven. Allow to cool enough to be able
to touch.
Slice open eggplant and scrape pulp into bowl of food processor. Squeeze
garlic pulp into processor bowl too. Add the vinegar, lemon juice if you
like, basil or parsley, yogurt, salt and pepper. Process until mix is
fairly smooth, but still a little chunky. Alternatively, chop eggplant pulp
with a knife and mix with other ingredients. You can refrigerate a few
hours to allow flavors to blend, but when making pasta sauce, I don't
bother. Makes about 2 cups, maybe a little more.
Toss with your pasta or use as a fantastic dip.
Emily Swensen
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