Greek cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Melitzanosalata Politiki me Karydia

Eggplants cooked over an open flame and mashed into a smoky cream with walnuts and vinegar.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1 kg eggplants
• 100 g walnuts
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 red onion
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Prick the eggplants several times with a fork and blacken them all over directly over a gas flame or on the grill for 20–25 min. until the skin blisters and bursts and the inside is completely soft.
2. Let the hot eggplants rest covered in a bowl for 15 min., then peel off the charred skin and drain the flesh in a sieve for 20 min.
3. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3–4 min., let cool and finely chop all but 1 tbsp for garnish.
4. Roughly chop the eggplant flesh with a knife — do not puree, the cream should keep some texture — and mix with the finely grated garlic.
5. Stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, then work in the olive oil spoon by spoon until the cream is glossy and thick, and finally fold in the walnuts and the finely diced onion.
6. Chill for at least 1 hr., sprinkle with parsley and the remaining walnuts before serving and serve with flatbread.