Name: Slow-Roasted Eggplant Dip with Pomegranate Molasses and Aleppo Pepper
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds eggplant , cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 onion, chopped; 1 garlic head , outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1½ teaspoons table salt; 1½ teaspoons ground dried Aleppo pepper; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon saffron threads , crumbled (optional); ½ teaspoon ground coriander; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 bay leaf

Why This Recipe Works

Reminiscent of a Sicilian caponata, this roasted eggplant is garlicky, smoky, a little spicy, a little sweet, and a little sour. It also couldn’t be simpler to make. We tossed all the ingredients in a Dutch oven and roasted them until tender. Scraping down the side of the pot once during cooking minimized the amount of eggplant that stuck to the sides. This dip is delicious eaten with flatbread, but its adaptability is the recipe's real win: Try it with seared or grilled meats, as a spread in a panini, served with labneh for a light dinner, or even alongside eggs for a savory breakfast.

Before You Begin

Mash the dip to your desired consistency before serving. This slow-roasted eggplant is endlessly versatile. In addition to serving it as a dip with flatbread, it’s great as a sandwich spread; an accompaniment to meat and fish; with labneh and a runny egg; or as a poaching sauce for runny eggs, shakshuka-style.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients (plus saffron, if using) in Dutch oven, tossing until vegetables are evenly coated. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove pot from oven and stir eggplant mixture well, being sure to scrape corners and sides of pot. Return covered pot to oven and roast until eggplant is very tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove pot from oven and discard bay leaf. Transfer garlic to cutting board and, using fork, mash root end of head to extrude garlic cloves; discard skins and return garlic to pot. Using potato masher, mash and stir vegetable mixture in pot until coarsely mashed, being sure to scrape corners and sides of pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite flatbread or pita. (Dip can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)