Best Olive And Eggplant Spread Recipes

Roasted Eggplant and Olive Spread with Pita Bread Chips image

Provided by Patrick Corrigan

Yield Makes about 2 cups of spread

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 1-pound eggplants
3 6- to 7-inch-diameter pita breads, cut horizontally in half
Olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin

Steps:

Preheat oven to 475°F. Pierce eggplants with fork. Place on baking sheet. Roast until skins are blackened and eggplants are soft, turning occasionally, about 1 hour. Cut eggplants in half. Spoon flesh into strainer set over bowl; drain 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, brush pita rounds lightly with oil. Sprinkle pita rounds with salt and pepper. Cut each pita round into 6 wedges. Arrange wedges on clean baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 4 minutes; cool.
Transfer drained eggplant to medium bowl. Mix in olives, garlic, vinegar, cumin and 1 tablespoon oil. Season spread with salt and pepper. Mound in small bowl. Serve with chips.

Olive and Eggplant Spread image

Yield Makes about 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 (1-pound) eggplant, halved lengthwise and flesh scored in a crosshatch pattern
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, rinsed, patted dry, and pitted
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, rinsed

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Rub eggplant with 2 tablespoons oil and bake, cut sides down, in a small baking pan in middle of oven until flesh is browned and very tender, about 50 minutes.
Scoop flesh from eggplant into a food processor, discarding skin, and purée with olives, capers, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste.