Best Eggplant Purée With Walnuts Recipes

EGGPLANT CRISP WITH WALNUT STREUSEL

Steps:

• Adjust two racks to the top and bottom position of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
• Pierce the eggplants all over with a fork, and place on the foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast on the top rack until completely soft when pierced with a paring knife, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the grape tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds pepper. Spread on a small baking sheet and roast in the same oven until the tomatoes are soft and wrinkled, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Mix together the panko, walnuts, flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons olive oil and mix until the mixture starts to clump. Reserve.
• When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, halve them and scoop the soft flesh into the bowl with the tomatoes (if the eggplants are too slippery to handle, hold them with a clean towel while scooping). Discard the skins and stems. Using a fork or spoon, mash the eggplant into smaller bite-sized pieces. (It's okay if the tomatoes get mashed in the process.) Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon each of dill and parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Check for seasoning and add more salt, if necessary.
• Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a wide 2-quart baking dish. Spread the eggplant mixture in the dish. Sprinkle feta in an even layer, then top with the reserved panko-walnut mixture. Bake until the top is golden brown and the eggplant is hot, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Right before serving, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons each dill and parsley and the lemon zest.

ROAST EGGPLANT WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• Pierce the eggplants with a sharp fork in two or three places (to keep them from exploding) and place them as high as you can on a V-rack roaster. Set over a medium-low gas flame or over hot coals and grill, turning about three times, 15 minutes to a side, or until completely soft and the skin is black and blistery, about 45 minutes total. The longer and slower the grilling, the creamier the eggplant will be. When the eggplants collapse, remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Remove the black parched skin, then squeeze gently to remove any juices. Discard the juices, and crush the pulp to a puree with a fork.
• Meanwhile, grill the pepper. Remove the pepper when soft, cover with a sheet of plastic and allow to cool. Core, seed and slip off the skin. Chop fine and mix with the eggplant.
• Mash the garlic to a paste with half the walnuts and the salt in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Add the cheese, oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper, and pulse to combine.
• In a serving bowl, combine the garlic-walnut mixture with the eggplant-pepper pulp and mix well. Correct the seasoning. Mix the parsley and remaining walnuts and sprinkle on top. Serve with pita toasted until crisp. May be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.

EGGPLANT PURéE WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash the eggplants and pat dry. Puncture the skin in several places with a fork. Place on an ungreased pan and bake for about 25 minutes, turning, until the skin is blistered and shriveled. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes, until easy to handle.
• 2. While the eggplants are roasting, pulse the garlic, walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil together in a food processor until ground and pastelike.
• 3. Cut off the stem and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding as many of the seeds as possible. Add the eggplant, a little at a time, to the bowl of the food processor and pulse on and off. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining olive oil and pulse until well combined. The eggplant puree does not have to be perfectly smooth. Season with salt and add a bit of sugar if necessary, as eggplants sometimes impart a trace of bitterness.