Burnt Eggplant & Charred Olive Crush with Crispy Sumac Pita

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Turn on your gas stove burner to medium-high (or preheat your broiler to high). Pierce 2 medium eggplants all over with a fork so they don't explode. Place them directly on the grates over the open flame. Turn occasionally with metal tongs until they look completely burnt, deflated, and frankly, a bit sad on the outside. This takes patience but builds all the campfire smokiness we crave.

   20 min

   Tip: If using a broiler, place them on a foil-lined baking sheet right under the heat, turning every 5 minutes.

2. 2

   While the eggplant is blistering, tear 2 large pita breads into jagged, rustic shards. Toss them on a baking sheet with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sumac, and 0.5 tsp sea salt. Bake until golden and shatteringly crisp.

   12 min

   Tip: Keep an eye on the pita in the last 3 minutes—it goes from golden to burnt very quickly.

3. 3

   Place a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking hot. Toss in the dried 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives. Let them sit undisturbed for a minute so they catch a hard sear, then toss until they have blackened, blistered spots all over. Transfer to a cutting board to cool.

   5 min

   Tip: Make sure your olives are thoroughly patted dry; water in a hot dry skillet will just steam them and sputter dangerously.

4. 4

   As your eggplant finishes charring and your pita bakes, prep the flavor bombs. Roughly chop the cooled olives and the 0.5 cup smoked almonds. Finely dice 1 tbsp preserved lemon rind, mince 1 clove garlic, and roughly chop the 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, dill, cilantro).

   8 min

   Tip: I like to leave the almonds fairly chunky here for maximum texture contrast against the soft eggplant.

5. 5

   Remove the eggplants from the heat and let them sit for a minute so you don't burn your fingers. Slit them open and use a spoon to scrape the soft, smoky flesh out of the 2 medium eggplants directly into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Let it drain for a few minutes—nobody likes a watery mezze.

   5 min

   Tip: Don't worry if a few flakes of charred skin get into the flesh; they add character and smoke.

6. 6

   Transfer the drained eggplant flesh to a mixing bowl. Give it a rough mash with a fork—we want a chunky crush, not a puree. Fold in the chopped olives, the minced 1 clove garlic, the diced 1 tbsp preserved lemon rind, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and the remaining 0.5 tsp sea salt.

   5 min

   Tip: Taste it now. Eggplants can vary wildly in size, so if it needs a bit more lemon or salt to make the flavors pop, add it.

7. 7

   Swoosh the eggplant crush onto a beautiful, wide, shallow plate. Drizzle aggressively with the 0.25 cup raw tahini, then stripe the top with the 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses and the 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Scatter every last bit of the chopped 0.5 cup smoked almonds and the 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, dill, cilantro) over the top. Serve immediately with the warm sumac pita shards for scooping.

   3 min

   Tip: Treat the herbs like a salad on top of the dip rather than just a garnish.