Purple veggies are a no.... but maybe a yes?

We have this Methodist Church down the street that hosts different events we sometimes attend. The past few weeks - I've been seeing posts on Facebook that say someone has laid out produce for anyone who wants it. Tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, the biggest peppers I have ever seen, and eggplant. Eggplant that I'm allergic to. Nicholas brought home this giant eggplant and I just didn't know what to do with it. Andy suggested he might bread and fry it... then we decided Baba Ganoush was fun to say but would be good to try making. It was easy enough to make but finding the tahini was more difficult. I roasted the eggplant in the oven and oof! That's a smell! Got that all whizzed up in the chopper and let the boys at it! Andy and Nicholas both big fans. So much so that last weekend, Nicholas brought home... three more eggplants. Oh man... time to get cooking!

Baba Ganoush 

2 lbs. eggplants about 2-3 medium-sized
4 Tbsp. olive oil divided
¼ cup tahini paste
2 Tbsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed
2 cloves garlic finely minced
½ tsp. salt to taste
½ tsp. cumin
¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the cut halves flat-side down onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until tender and browned.
Scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Place the flesh into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes. Mash the eggplant to drain any excess liquid. (You should end up with roughly 1 ¼ cups of eggplant and ~⅓-½ cup of liquid.)
Add the eggplant, 2 Tbsp. olive oil and remaining ingredients to a large food processor. Pulse until just combined and to your desired texture.
Serve the baba ganoush with a drizzle or olive oil, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and parsley, and with pita bread or vegetables. Enjoy!