Eggplant and Garlic Slather

Here is another pasta sauce for Mara. It was actually billed as something called a "slather" in Vegetarian Times, but after devouring it once as a vegetable dip, we decided to try it as a pasta sauce. WHAT A WINNER! Even if you dont think you like eggplant, try this--the combination of flavors will make your head spin. (modified from Veg Times, 9/96) (Note-the balsamic vinegar is a substitution for 2 Tbsp olive oil, and lends a wonderful little bite to the sauce. The recipe also called for the juice of 1 lemon plus zest. The first time I made it, I had no lemons. I used the suggested amount the second time, and it was so lemony, I could barely eat it. I no longer put any lemon juice in it at all--experiment to see what you like.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut slits in eggplant(s). Place in a shallow roasting pan or on a cookie sheet. You can put your garlic on the same pan after cutting the tops off and wrapping it in tin foil. I always use my trusty clay garlic roaster, usually crammed full. Bake garlic and eggplant until eggplant wrinkles and starts to collapse; about 1 to 1.25 hours. Remove from oven. Allow to cool enough to be able to touch. Slice open eggplant and scrape pulp into bowl of food processor. Squeeze garlic pulp into processor bowl too. Add the vinegar, lemon juice if you like, basil or parsley, yogurt, salt and pepper. Process until mix is fairly smooth, but still a little chunky. Alternatively, chop eggplant pulp with a knife and mix with other ingredients. You can refrigerate a few hours to allow flavors to blend, but when making pasta sauce, I dont bother. Makes about 2 cups, maybe a little more. Toss with your pasta or use as a fantastic dip. Posted to fatfree digest V97 #011 by emily@pbgi.com (Emily Swensen) on Feb 27, 1997.