Super Easy Baba Ghanouj (Ricardo Larrivée) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
1 head garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

Preparation

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the eggplant cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast until the flesh is very tender and pulls away easily from the skin, about 1 hour depending on the eggplant's size. Let cool.
Meanwhile, cut the tips off the garlic cloves. Place the cloves in a square of aluminum foil. Fold up the edges of the foil and crimp together to form a tightly sealed packet. Roast alongside the eggplant until tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Puree the cloves by pressing them through a garlic press.
Using a spoon, scoop the flesh from the eggplant and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic puree and oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with mini pitas.