Melitzanosalata – Greek Eggplant Dip
Thanks to a few new fans in my Greek Food Fan Club and my immediate response to praise, there has been a lot of Greek food coming out of the Whipped kitchen of late.
Spinach and cheese pies, zucchini fritters, meatballs, baked feta topped with oregano and tomatoes, fried peppers, peasant salad and a new one to Whipped… Melitzanosalata or Greek Eggplant Dip/Spread. (find the other Greek recipes here.) I once found a similar recipe on another blog and he had titled his recipe Eggplant Crack. Indeed, if you like eggplant and garlic, this stuff will have you hooked after just one touch to the tongue.
I had always wondered about the history of the name eggplant vs. aubergine so before writing this post, I did a little research. It turns out, that is a door I should not have tried to open. There was talk of deadly poison, flatulence and mad apples. In an effort to keep your desire and appetite in tact to sample this recipe, I will leave the details out. If your curiosity is piqued, you can read more here and here.
Consider this recipe a suggestion and adjust the proportions of garlic and lemon to your taste. If you have the ability to grill the eggplants, that will add extra flavor. And, be careful not to over food process the dip. You can even chop everything by hand if you prefer a chunkier texture.
Melitzanosalata – Greek Eggplant Dip
2 large eggplants
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 medium-sized cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup quality olive oil
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use a fork to prick the eggplants all over. Put them on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel if needed. Let cool until they can be handled. Cut them in half and scoop all the insides out into a food processor. Add minced garlic and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to combine. Continue to pulse while adding a steady stream of olive oil. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper.
this looks divine. love the new whipped header too.
this looks incredible and very similar to a dish we make called Eggplant Caviar!
oh man!! i could eat that whole bowl!
we have a great Greek restaurant in STL called Olympia. they have the best hors doeuvres platter with an eggplant dip. cant wait to try it!!
wow
caroline, I haven’t visited Whipped in a while. The new changes and Greek recipes are exciting. Definitely going to try something new. Thanks
Oh,I love Greek food too! Now, if only I could actually eat it in Greece, sitting by the waterfront with some wine and a sunset, like Shirley Valentine…
Hello Caroline,
That’s my preferred food. I surely use your your recipe!
One note: Rodica said that usually peel the skin of rather than scoop it out, but we usually grill eggplants rather than bake them so that makes it easier to peel the skin of.
On another note, it’s amazing how similar the Greek and Romanian cuisine are.
Isn’t this also known as Baba Ganoush?
Baba Ganoush usually includes tahini.
So simple, yet looks so delish. I will definitely be trying this out this weekend. BTW, I also love the header of your website!
can I freeze this dip
Sounds delicious. I am goig to try this. There is a similar Indian dish called Vangyache bharit or Baingan bhurta. It is equally delicious. Google and you will have several recipes. For now I am gonna try this one. This one sounds mouthwatering
The main difference between melizanosalata and baba ganoush it that later has tahini paste and optionally few other spices (cumin, chili powder)
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! Tasted delicious with some feta, Persian kebab koobideh, and grilled tomatoes. One question I have, mine turned out lighter in color than the picture shows. Any tips for making it darker in color?
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I served it with Persian kebab koobideh and grilled tomatoes. One question, mine turned out a bit lighter than the picture shows. Any tips on how to make it darker?
Hello Marylian, If your dip was tasty, I wouldn’t worry about the color! I would guess that the aubergine we used might have been slightly different, altering the color. And, it could be that the lighting in my photo is even a bit dark. Overall, the best is to have a good flavor.
Good point, Caroline! Thanks for your response.
Just made this…it was perfect!!! Just like my mom’s!!!
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