Roasted Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil. Brush the foil with olive oil.

Cut the stem and also the green part at the top; cut the body lengthwise in half.

For large globe eggplants, scoredown the middle with the tip of a knife (without cutting through the skin). For Japanese eggplants and other small eggplants, there is no need to score.

Arrange eggplant on the foil-covered baking sheet, cut side down. Drize with olive oil. If you wish, you can season with a little sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Place in the oven and roast 20 to 25 minutes for large globe eggplants and 15 minutes for smaller, narrow Japanese eggplants.

NOTE: We’ve simply roasted our eggplant in two halves, but you could also cut them into 1/2-inch slices if you want a more carmelized edge. Don’t go too thin or you’ll burn the eggplant. Arrange the slices in a single layer. It will need less cooking time. 

You’ll know when the eggplant is done because the surface and edges will brown and the skin will begin to shrivel. The eggplant be soft and carmelized, but not collapsed inwards.

Remove from the oven. Place the eggplant halves cut side down on a rack set over a baking sheet, or in a colander. Allow to cool and drain for 15 to 30 minutes.