Editor’s Note: Maria Lichty, creator of the Two Peas and Their Pod culinary blog, has partnered with Thermador to contribute blog posts on an ongoing basis. Lichty, based out of Salt Lake City, recently finished a complete kitchen remodel, and replaced her former appliances with Thermador.

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We love entertaining, and summer is one of our favorite times to host parties. We love sitting out on our patio and enjoying the beautiful weather with good friends, family, and of course, tasty food. One of my favorite summer appetizers is Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip. It is easy to make and a great way to use up summer produce.

To make the dip, I toss chopped red bell peppers, eggplant, and red onion with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. I place the chopped vegetables on a large baking sheet and roast them in our Thermador oven for about 45 minutes. Roasting the vegetables brings out the best flavors with little effort. The oven does all of the work.

After the vegetables cool, place them in a food processor with tomato paste, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper. Puree until smooth and spoon the dip into a serving bowl. I like to serve the dip with fresh pita bread. I cut the pita bread into triangles to make it easy for dipping. You can also serve this dip with vegetables, pita chips, crackers, or bread.

If you are looking for a delicious summer appetizer, try this Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip. It is always a hit at our parties.

Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip

—2 red bell peppers, seeded
—1 medium Italian eggplant, peeled
—1 large red onion
—3 cloves minced garlic
—1/4 cup olive oil
—2 teaspoons kosher salt
—1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
—2 tablespoons tomato paste
—Dash crushed red pepper
—2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
—Pita bread-cut into triangles, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Chop the red peppers, eggplant, and red onion into 1-inch sized pieces. Put the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and add the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss until vegetables are well-coated.  Place the vegetables on a large baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Stir the vegetables once while they are roasting.

2. Let the vegetables cool slightly, then transfer them to a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until they are roughly chopped. Add the tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and basil and puree until smooth. Serve the dip with pita bread.