Babaganoush...not your Mother's French Onion Dip!

Last evening I attended a meeting in Ravenna of the North East Ohi o Arabian Horse Association. Usually there are a few light snacks or desserts available for munching while we have our meeting. Last night was a real treat for me! One of our members is Arabaic and he made "Fresh" Babaganoush and brought Aladdin Brand Pita Bread (also very, very fresh)!
Wow! Was I in heaven or what?

I love this Middle Eastern Dip as well as Hummus (which he made for us a few months ago).
I want to share the recipe with you. Easy to make and delicicious! Serve it with sections of fresh Pita Bread! Yum! (or crackers, assorted small bread pieces or even plain old saltine crackers!)

Ingredients
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound)
1 glove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons tahini (found in the grocery store)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Prick eggplant with a fork and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake the eggplant until it is soft inside, about 20 minutes.
Alternatively, grill the eggplant over a gas grill, rotating it around until the skin is completely charred, about 10 minutes.
Let the eggplant cool. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, drain off the liquid, and scoop the pulp into a food processor. Process the eggplant until smooth and transfer to a medium bowl.
On a cutting board, work garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt together with the flat side of a knife, until it forms a paste. Add the garlic-salt mixture to the eggplant. Stir in the parsley, tahini, and lemon juice. Season with more salt, to taste. Garnish with additional parsley.