Melitzanosalata

Melitzanosalata is the Greek answer to baba ganoush, and it has a personality all its own. Whole eggplants roast until their flesh is completely soft, then get pounded by hand with raw garlic, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and red wine vinegar into a thick, smoky spread.

The traditional method calls for rubbing the bowl with a cut garlic clove before adding the eggplant. This perfumes the bowl with a gentle garlic layer underneath the crushed cloves that go in later. It’s a small, old-world detail that adds depth without being aggressive.

Pounding with a wooden spoon (or better yet, a mortar) instead of using a food processor gives melitzanosalata its characteristic rough, rustic texture. You want a thick spread with visible bits, not a smooth puree. The olive oil and vinegar get beaten in gradually, emulsifying into the eggplant like a dressing.

Kitchen Tips

• Roast the eggplants until they’re completely collapsed and the skin is charred and papery. Undercooked eggplant won’t mash smoothly and tastes bitter.
• Peel while still hot. The skin comes off easily when warm but clings stubbornly once cool.
• Add the olive oil and vinegar slowly, alternating as you beat. Dumping them in all at once won’t emulsify and the spread will be oily and thin.
• Taste as you go. The balance of oil to vinegar depends on the eggplant’s natural sweetness and the garlic’s heat.

Variations

• Char the eggplants over a gas flame or on a grill instead of in the oven for an even smokier flavor.
• Add a handful of chopped olives or capers for a briny Mediterranean twist.
• Stir in a pinch of smoked paprika for additional depth without extra smoke.