Name: Eggplant Purée with Walnuts
Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants; 2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1/2 cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice; 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; Salt to taste; 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Makedonitiki Melitzanosalata

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Diane Kochilas's book The Greek Vegetarian. Kochilas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.

To read more about Kochilas and Greek cuisine, click here.

Diane Kochilas shares her tips with Epicurious:

• This version of the traditional eggplant spread melitzanosalata is from the north of Greece. Its similarity to the Middle Eastern dip baba ghanoush is due to the Turkish influence in Greek cuisine. • In Greece, hunks of country bread are traditionally dipped into this spread. Toasted pita is not as traditional but makes an equally delicious accompaniment.

Recipe notes

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