HASSELBACK EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC-YOGURT SAUCE

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We wanted to create a roasted eggplant dish that featured some of the smoky eggplant goodness that we love in baba ghanoush—but with more textural variety and structural integrity. To achieve a creamy interior and crispy edges, we borrowed the technique used for Hasselback potatoes: By making slices every ¼ inch crosswise down the length of the eggplant, stopping just short of slicing through, we opened up a whole new world of eggplant possibilities. This technique allowed steam to escape during cooking so the eggplant became tender without bursting and turning to mush. More importantly, we could pack the spaces between the slices with a sweet and spicy Middle Eastern paste made from jarred piquillo peppers, walnuts, bread crumbs, and pomegranate molasses. Finally, we balanced the rich spiciness and mild bitterness of the roasted eggplant with a creamy garlic-yogurt sauce. To ensure you don’t cut through the eggplant halves in step 2, you can create a guard by placing a chopstick on either side of the eggplant.

Serves: 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main dish

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

EGGPLANT

• 1 large eggplant (1½ pounds)
• Salt
• 1 cup jarred piquillo peppers, patted dry and chopped
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 7 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons ground dried Aleppo pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

GARLIC-YOGURT SAUCE

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the eggplant Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place wire rack in sheet.
2. Trim stem and bottom ¼ inch of eggplant, then halve lengthwise. Working with 1 half at a time, place eggplant cut side down on cutting board and slice crosswise at ¼-inch intervals, leaving bottom ¼ inch intact. Sprinkle eggplant fans evenly with 1 teaspoon salt, making sure to get salt in between slices, and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Process piquillos, walnuts, 6 tablespoons panko, scallions, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor to coarse paste, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly add ¼ cup oil until incorporated.
4. Pat eggplant dry with paper towels. Spread 1½ cups pepper paste over eggplant, being sure to spread paste between cut sides of eggplant. Transfer eggplant, fanned side up, to prepared rack and roast until eggplant can be easily pierced with tip of paring knife and edges are crispy and golden brown, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Remove eggplant from oven and heat broiler. Combine remaining 10 tablespoons panko, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons pepper paste in bowl. (Set aside remaining pepper paste for another use.) Spread panko mixture evenly over top of eggplant and broil until topping is crisp and golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
6. For garlic-yogurt sauce Whisk all ingredients in bowl until combined. Transfer eggplant to serving platter and sprinkle with mint. Serve with yogurt sauce.