Creamy Roasted Eggplant with Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant (Leave the stem on if desired.)
• 2.5 tsp lemon juice (The source gives a range of 2–3 tsp.)
• 2.5 tsp olive oil (The source gives a range of 2–3 tsp; additional oil is used to garnish, with no amount specified.)
• 0.5 tsp flaky salt
• 1.5 tbsp pesto (The source gives a range of 1–2 tbsp; prepared pesto.)
• fresh parsley (For garnish; fresh basil is mentioned as an alternative in the transcript.)
• bread (For serving; the description suggests a baguette, and the transcript says to spread the eggplant on bread.)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Pierce the eggplant in several places with a fork. Set it on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45–55 minutes, until shriveled and very soft; a knife should meet no resistance.

3. 3

   Remove the eggplant from the oven and transfer it to the serving dish. Let some steam escape if needed. Without cutting through the bottom skin, use a knife to open it along the top and expose the flesh; leave the stem on if desired.

4. 4

   Use a fork to fluff and mash the eggplant flesh inside its skin.

5. 5

   Add the lemon juice, olive oil, flaky salt, and pesto to the eggplant. Mix them together with the fork.

6. 6

   Finish with a drizzle of additional olive oil and garnish with fresh parsley or basil. Serve in the eggplant skin with bread for spreading.

Notes

The source specifies the bake temperature and time but gives ingredient ranges; midpoint amounts are used for the scalable quantities. Additional garnish oil and herbs are unmeasured. Bread is suggested for serving but is not included in the formal ingredient list.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• baked
• French-inspired
• easy
• shareable