Though the name is perhaps a mystery, this eggplant carpaccio topped with vibrant pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios and salty feta cheese, make an amazing showstopping appetizer.

Eggplant carpaccio must be a very Jewish thing. I Googled it and the only recipes that came up were from fellow Jewish bloggers. Truthfully, my grandmother made this for years. We didn’t call it carpaccio; we called it “Babby’s Eggplant.” I am not even sure why this dish is called carpaccio. As far as I know, carpaccio is an Italian dish made with very thinly sliced raw cured fish or meat — but I guess someone decided that this is the “kosher” version of carpaccio! It’s really just babaghanoush spread out on a platter and topped with lots of delicious add-ons. In any case, you can call it whatever you want — it is absolutely delicious.

This is one of my favorite dishes to make as an appetizer. I always get the biggest ooohs and ahhhs from my guests when I bring it out to the table, and there’s nothing like swiping a warm piece of homemade challah across the plate of eggplant and scooping it up with the delicious crunchy toppings I like to add.

You can make the eggplant part in advance and freeze it and then just do the rest of the prep right before serving it. When thawing, make sure to give it a good mix because sometimes some liquid can accumulate. If it’s very liquidy, add a teaspoon of tahini paste to thicken it up.

This particular version calls for feta cheese and is perfect for a dairy Shavuos meal. You can certainly skip the cheese to keep it pareve. You can also try it with vegan feta cheese. In general, this kind of recipe isn’t set in stone. If there’s anything there that you don’t care for, you can skip, and feel free to add any other toppings (nuts, veggies, fruit, herbs) that interest you.

As always, when roasting any vegetables, it will come out better if you use a real baking sheet. It distributes the heat much better and results in much more even roasting.

Eggplant Carpaccio with Pomegranate, Pistachios and Feta Cheese

Call it what you want — this eggplant appetizer loaded with toppings is absolutely delicious!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup pomegranate seeds
⅓ cup pistachios
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp tahini paste (not prepared techina)
Parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Poke holes in the eggplant with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour until soft.
Let the eggplant cool a little. Slice in half and scoop out the insides. Mash slightly and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the eggplant on a platter. (If you’re not assembling the carpaccio right away, store it in a container in the fridge or freeze for later use.)
Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, nuts and crumbled feta cheese over the eggplant. Drizzle with tahini and garnish with parsley before serving.

Notes

You can prepare the eggplant in advance and freeze it. Just make sure to stir it well after defrosting to incorporate any liquid. If it’s still watery, add a little tahini to thicken it.