Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant with Whipped Feta and Herb Oil

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant with Whipped Feta and Herb Oil

This is the kind of dish that asks for time. Tomatoes and eggplant roast low and slow until they collapse into jammy, concentrated sweetness, then sit on a cloud of whipped feta and a bright green herb oil. It is a showpiece for a long afternoon, and the oven does nearly all the work.

You need

• 2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds [680 g] total), cut into 1-inch [2.5 cm] thick rounds
• 1 pound [450 g] cherry or small plum tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1/3 cup [80 ml] olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and lightly smashed
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 ounces [170 g] feta, crumbled
• 1/3 cup [80 ml] plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 small bunch parsley (about 1 cup [60 g] leaves)
• 1/2 small bunch mint (about 1/2 cup [20 g] leaves)
• 1 small lemon, zested and juiced, divided
• 1 pinch red chili flakes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325 F [163 C]. Line two large baking sheets with parchment.
2. Arrange the eggplant rounds in one layer on one sheet and the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on the other. Drizzle with 1/4 cup [60 ml] of the olive oil total, divided between the sheets, then season both with the salt, pepper, and oregano. Toss so everything is coated.
3. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, turning the eggplant once halfway through. The eggplant should be deeply golden and very tender, and the tomatoes should be wrinkled, slumped, and beginning to caramelize at the edges. If one tray finishes early, pull it and let the other keep going.
4. While the vegetables roast, make the whipped feta. Blend or beat the feta and yogurt in a food processor or with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light, spreadable, and no longer grainy. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and a spoonful of water if it is too thick. Cover and refrigerate.
5. Make the herb oil. Finely chop the parsley and mint, then stir them into the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon zest, the rest of the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the chili flakes. Let it sit while the vegetables finish.
6. To serve, spread the whipped feta over a wide platter. Arrange the eggplant and tomatoes on top, with their pan juices and softened garlic squeezed from their skins. Spoon the herb oil over everything. Let it rest 5 minutes so the juices settle, then serve warm or at room temperature.