Dina Nikolaou’s Greek-style eggplant caviar

Dreaming of a trip to Greece without leaving Paris? Greek chef Dina Nikolaou, behind the delicious Evi Evaneaddresses — which we absolutely love — takes us straight into the sunshine with her eggplant caviar with Greek yogurt. Taken from her new book Greek Yogurt, 50 Sweet and Savory Variations, published by Hachette Cuisine, this ultra-creamy recipe tastes like holidays, long shared tables and never-ending aperitifs. Best enjoyed with grilled pita bread, obviously!

For 6 people
Preparation: 10 min
Cooking: 45 to 55 min
Draining: 10 min

3 large eggplants
1 large onion
1 whole head of garlic
200 g drained Greek yogurt
3 tbsp olive oil + a little extra for cooking and serving
1 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp sweet or smoked paprika
½ tsp cumin, optional
Salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Prick the eggplants with a fork and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Cut the onion into wedges, drizzle with a little olive oil, season lightly with salt, then wrap it in aluminum foil. Cut the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap it in aluminum foil as well.

Bake everything for 45 to 55 minutes, until the eggplants are very tender and the onion and garlic are caramelized.

Let the eggplants cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Place it in a colander for 10 minutes to remove any excess water.

Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl. Add the finely chopped roasted onion, then squeeze the roasted garlic to extract the pulp and mix it in.

Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cumin if using, salt and pepper. Mix well until you get a creamy, smooth texture.

Spread the eggplant caviar on a plate, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

Serve with warm bread or grilled pita bread.

A perfectly roasted eggplant is the key to this recipe: it should literally collapse. Also make sure to drain the flesh well to avoid a watery texture once mixed with the yogurt. For an even creamier version, you can increase the amount of yogurt to 250 g.

Also discover the sardine tart that tastes like the South and a fresh labneh with grapefruit.