Smoky baba ganoush with fennel sticks

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Eggplant200 g
• Tahini10 g
• Extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon
• Garlic0.5 clove
• Fennel100 g
• Lemon juiceto taste
• Saltto taste

Contains: sesame,

In season: June – September

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220 °C (conventional). Wash and dry the aubergines and prick them all over with a fork so they don't burst.
2. Place them on a lined baking tray and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway, until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh collapses completely when pressed; for a smokier flavour you can char them directly over a gas flame, turning often, until the skin is blackened all over.
3. Meanwhile wash the fennel, remove the tough outer layers and the base, and cut it into sticks about 1 cm thick; peel the garlic and crush it finely.
4. Let the aubergines cool for 5 minutes, split them lengthways, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and leave it in a sieve for a few minutes to drain off the bitter liquid.
5. Mash the flesh with a fork together with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt until you have a rustic purée; taste and adjust.
6. Spoon it into a small bowl, finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve with the fennel sticks.