Baba Ganoush

Yield: 3 Cups. Preheat oven to 325F. Peel and cube eggplant into 1 inch cubes. Peel and quarter the onion and put into baking dish (9x13) with the garlic cloves. Pour oil over all. Roast this mixture for about an hour stirring after 30 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked - a little brown and soft through - remove from oven and leave to cool and drain. I prop the dish up on one end with potholders and the excess oil will drain out. Press on the solids a little and give it a half an hour to drain and cool. Transfer vegetables to a food processor and add remaining ingredients. Process until smooth and taste for seasonings. Add salt if necessary. Chill and serve with pita. Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle paprika on dip for presentation. Notes: Most recipes I have seen for this dish say to roast the eggplant whole and scoop out the insides and do not call for any onion. This recipe is adapted from a friend of mine who is Lebanese. I know it is a lot of oil but so much is drained off at the end. You could try less oil but watch the vegetables in the oven they will dry out and burn. Tahini is a sesame seed paste that can be found in health food stores and Middle Eastern groceries. You can use more if you love the taste.