Baba Ghanoush

1. Preheat your oven to 400º. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Put it face down on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Flip the eggplant over, cover with foil, and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant.
2. Take the skin off the eggplant, place it in a strainer, and sprinkle with some salt. Let it sit in the strainer for 10 minutes so it can release all that extra liquid.
3. In a food processor, combine eggplant, 2 garlic cloves, 4 tsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp tahini, 2 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper to taste. Blend for a minute or 2 until the mixture is smooth.
4. Add the mixture to a bowl and top with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley.
5. Enjoy with pita bread, crackers, veggies, and chips!