- 3 small eggplants (1–1½lbs total weight) to make about 1¼ cups when roasted, pulped and strained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)
- 1 large onion
- 3 fat cloves garlic
- 1 cup Greek plain yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 tablespoans toasted pine nuts
- Dribble of extra virgin olive oil to decorate
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prick the eggplants with a fork and put them on a baking sheet to cook for 45 minutes to an hour. The insides of the eggplants should be soft and they will feel squishy to touch. Let them cool before peeling and mashing them, then leave in a sieve to drain.
- Heat the oil in a pan and peel and finely chop the onion, adding the pieces to the pan. Peel the garlic cloves and mince or grate into the onion. Or just put onion and garlic together in a processor first and blitz. Cook until golden and then add the drained eggplant mush, cooking it with the onion and garlic for a further 5 minutes or so over a gentle heat, stirring frequently. Take off the heat, turn into a bowl to cool and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the yogurt to the cooled eggplant mixture together with the saffron in its now golden water, stirring together well, and then turn into a bowl and sprinkle over the mint, toasted pinenuts and a dribble of oil.