This simple eggplant recipe yields soft and deliciously spiced rounds. Eat them as a side with meat or fish, or as a vegetable main, with seasoned yogurt and chopped herbs. Don’t be afraid to use your broiler for extra crispness at the end of roasting, and consider leftovers an excellent start for your favorite eggplant dishes, like moussaka or ratatouille.

Spiced Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients:
• 3 small Italian eggplants (1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare eggplants by slicing off their tops and a fine layer of skin from their bottoms. Slice the eggplant into 1-inch-thick rounds and place on the lined pan.
Make your spice oil by combining the olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush the spiced oil onto the faces of all the eggplant slices, then flip each one over and repeat on the second side.

Roast for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to flip over each round. Roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until soft, browned and crisp. If you’re looking for a little extra color, broil the eggplant, watching carefully, for about a minute.
Total time: 45 minutes, serves 4.

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