Baba ganoush eggplant boats

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Halve the eggplants lengthwise through the stem. Score the cut flesh deeply in a criss-cross pattern 1.5 cm apart, cutting almost down to the skin but not through it. Brush the cut sides with half the olive oil, letting it run into the cuts, sprinkle with half the salt and lay them cut side down on the tray.

   Add in this stepMedium eggplants (about 300 g each) 2Extra-virgin olive oil 1¼ tbspSalt 0.4 tsp

2. Roast in the oven for 30 min, until the skin is wrinkled and, when you lift one with a spatula, the underside is golden and the flesh completely soft. Lying cut side down, they steam in their own juices and turn creamy.

   oven

3. While the eggplants roast, drain the chickpeas and pat them very dry with kitchen paper (wet chickpeas won't crisp). Toss them with the remaining oil and salt and the smoked paprika, spread them on a second tray and put it in the oven once the eggplants have had 10 minutes. Roast for 20 min, shaking the tray halfway, until crisp and rattling when you shake the tray.

   Add in this stepCooked or canned chickpeas, drained 120 gExtra-virgin olive oil 1¼ tbspSalt 0.4 tspSmoked paprika ½ tsp

4. Make the tahini sauce: finely grate the garlic into a bowl, add the tahini and lemon juice and stir; it will thicken. Add the water a spoonful at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable like single cream.

   Add in this stepGarlic clove 1Tahini 2 tbspLemon juice 1½ tbspWater 2 tbsp

5. Turn the eggplants cut side up. With a fork, mash the flesh right inside the skin into a rough purée, keeping the skin intact like a boat. Spoon over half the tahini sauce and swirl it into the flesh with the fork. Careful: the inside is very hot.

6. Drizzle with the rest of the sauce and pile on the crispy chickpeas, crumbled feta, torn mint leaves and a pinch of pul biber. Serve straight away while the chickpeas are crunchy; eat the flesh with a spoon, and the skin too if you like.

   Add in this stepFeta 50 gMint leaves 2 tbspPul biber (Turkish pepper flakes) 1 pinch