From Romania With Love, the Romanian Eggplant Spread That Will Win Your Heart

There were many great things that happened to me during the summer that I spent in Romania, but one of the best things was taking with me the memories of an eggplant spread that tasted surprisingly good when spread over the Romanian bread which resemble a French baguette. After coming back to the states, I found a few different versions on-line that I have modified to my own personal taste and I love the spread over baked pita bread or toasted French baguettes. Try it out and it may become a favorite dip of yours too.

Ingredients:

3 medium eggplants
4 garlic cloves, to taste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Bread for dipping – pita or French loafs work well

Full Video Tutorial

You’ll forgive Barry while he cringes as you watch his old content

Preparation:

Grill method:

Prick the eggplants with a fork several times. Grill the eggplants on a high temperature for about 20 to 40 minutes or until the skin is evenly charred and the eggplant collapses, the flesh should be really soft.

Stove top method:

Lay some tin foil around the burners of the stove top to make sure that the liquid released by the eggplants won’t cause too much of a mess. Prick the eggplants with a fork several times and lay them directly on the flame of the burners.

Turn regularly with a pair of tongs making sure that the skin is burnt on all sides. Cook until the skin is evenly charred and the flesh of the eggplants very soft. This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplants.

Oven method:

Place the eggplants on a baking tray lined with baking paper or tin foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350° degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes or until the flesh of the eggplants is very soft.

Finishing Up

After grilling, roasting or baking the eggplants let them cool, then carefully remove all the skin.

Chop with a special wooden knife, spoon or spatula. Important that you use a wooden kitchen utensil.

Mix the chopped eggplants with the oil, chopped garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Serve with bread like pita or a French loaf.

Kitchen Items used in this recipe