Charcoal baba ganoush with pine nuts and pomegranate molasses

Method

1. Light the charcoal and wait about 20 minutes until the coals are covered in white ash. Prick the eggplants a few times with a fork and lay them on the grill over charcoal (medium heat). Cook for 25 min, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is black and cracked all over and the eggplants have completely collapsed; the slower char over coals gives a much deeper smoke than a gas flame. Indoors, you can char them directly on a gas flame as in the basic recipe.

   Add in this stepSmall to medium eggplants (about 250 g each) 2

   charcoal (medium heat)

2. Put the eggplants in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 10 minutes. Peel off the skin, discard the stems and put the flesh in a sieve over a bowl to drain for 20 min. The longer draining gives a thick, creamy dip that holds its shape on the plate.

3. Meanwhile make the tahini sauce: finely grate the garlic into the lemon juice, add the salt and leave it 5 minutes to mellow. Add the tahini and whisk; it will turn thick and stiff, which is normal. Add the ice water a spoonful at a time, whisking for 2 min, until the sauce is pale, smooth and as thick as yogurt.

   Add in this stepGarlic clove 1Lemon juice 2 tbspSalt ½ tspTahini, well stirred 2½ tbspIce-cold water 2 tbsp

4. Chop the drained eggplant finely with a knife (a blender makes it gluey). Fold it into the tahini sauce with the Greek yogurt and cumin, then taste and adjust with salt or lemon. Cover and chill for 30 min so the flavours come together and the dip firms up.

   Add in this stepGreek yogurt 2 tbspGround cumin 1 pinch

5. Put the pine nuts in a 16 cm frying pan with half the olive oil over medium-low heat and stir constantly for 2 min, until evenly golden. Pine nuts burn within seconds once they colour, so tip them and their oil into a small bowl straight away.

   Add in this stepPine nuts 15 gExtra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp

   medium-low heat

6. Spread the dip on a plate in a wide swirl. Spoon over the pine nuts with their oil, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil and the pomegranate molasses. Finish with sumac, parsley and pomegranate seeds and serve with warm pita.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 1 tbspPomegranate molasses 1 tspSumac 1 pinchFlat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 tbspPomegranate seeds 15 gPita bread 2