Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Wrap the pricked aubergines in aluminium foil and roast for 50 to 60 minutes until they collapse completely. If you have a charcoal grill, you can first grill them, turning, until the skin turns black and blisters, then cook them soft in the oven at 190 °C.
- Let the aubergines cool, peel off the skin and remove any larger clumps of seeds.
- Put the flesh in a sieve over a bowl and let it drain for about 20 minutes.
- Blend the flesh with the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and, if you like, cumin in a blender or mash with a fork to a creamy purée. Taste and add more tahini or lemon if needed.
- Spread in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, smoked paprika and, if you like, chilli flakes, and serve at room temperature with pitta and raw vegetables.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Sauvignon Blanc or Assyrtiko
The wine's acidity matches the lemon, its green notes meet the parsley, and it cuts through the tahini cream.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingRosé · excellent match
Dry rosé from Lebanon or Provence
The mezze companion par excellence: fresh enough for lemon and garlic, with enough body for tahini and smoked paprika.
Pale lager · good match
Pale lager, ice cold
Bubbles and mild bitterness loosen the tahini and olive oil without covering up the smoky note.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?London dry gin · good match
Gin and tonic with lemon peel, as a highball
Juniper and citrus pick up the parsley and lemon, and the bitterness of the tonic cuts through the sesame paste.
London Dry Gin: does it have to come from London?