Pesto-Eggplant Dip

Nahed Hamdi serves this tasty eggplant dip flavored with basil and tomato on toasted wedges of pita bread. We also loved it as a savory, healthy sandwich spread. Try it on a focaccia roll with spinach leaves and fresh mozzarella.

Yield: Makes 2 cups; 6 to 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients

• 1  eggplant (about 1 lb.)
• 1  ripe tomato (about 8 oz.)
• 3 to 4  tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2  cup  loosely packed basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• 1  clove garlic, peeled
• 1  tablespoon  lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3  cup  crumbled feta cheese
• 6  pita breads, toasted

Preparation

1. Rinse eggplant; trim and discard stem end. Rinse and core tomato. Cut both into 1/2-inch slices. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.

2. Place eggplant and tomato slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. Broil 6 inches from heat (one sheet at a time), turning slices with a wide spatula, until eggplant is browned on both sides and tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes total per sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

3. In a food processor, whirl basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add eggplant and tomato and pulse until vegetables are coarsely chopped.

4. Spoon into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish top of dip with feta cheese and serve with pita breads for dipping (see note above), or cover dip and chill for up to 1 day.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

203 (31% from fat)

Protein:

5.8g

Fat:

6.9g (sat 1.6)

Carbohydrate:

30g

Fiber:

2g

Sodium:

308mg

Cholesterol:

5mg