Olive & Eggplant Dipping Sauce

This tasty sauce can be served as a dipping sauce with crudités, crisps, bruschetta or fresh bread. It can also be mixed with cooked pasta!

2 large aubergines/eggplants/brinjals
2 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped (optional)
125 ml spring onion, finely sliced
5 to 10 ml crushed garlic
180 ml olive oil
125 ml black olives, drained and pitted
30 ml parsley, finely chopped
30 ml basil leaves, finely chopped
2.5 ml sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
100 to 200 ml plain yoghurt or crème fraîche (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C. 
2. Line a baking tray with a Wizbake baking sheet and set it aside.
3. Peel the aubergines and slice into 1 cm thick slices.
4. Transfer the aubergine slices to the prepared baking tray and brush each slice on both sides with olive oil.
5. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the aubergines halfway through the cooking time.
6. Set the aubergine slices aside to cool.
7. To skin the tomatoes, fill a medium saucepan half full with water and bring it to a boil.
8. Fill a medium mixing bowl half full with water and add some ice cubes. Set the bowl aside.
9. Slice a shallow X into the bottom of the tomato (opposite the stem side). 
10. Place the tomatoes into the boiling water and for about 30 seconds or until you see the X begin to split open wider.
11. Transfer the tomatoes to the bowl of ice water and let them cool off. This will help to stop any “cooking” that has started. 
12. Remove the tomatoes from the ice water and place them on a chopping board.
13. Begin peeling the skin at the X, pulling the skin back gently towards the stem side.
14. Discard the skin and quarter the tomatoes.  Remove the seeds and transfer it to the bowl of a food processor.
15. Add the cooled aubergine to the food processor and set it aside.
16. Transfer 5 ml of the olive oil to a saucepan and stir-fry the spring onion and garlic in the heated oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the spring onion mixture to the food processor.
17. Add the olives, parsley, basil, sugar, salt and pepper to the food processor and process with the pulse action until smooth and blended.
18. Stir in a tablespoon of yoghurt or crème fraîche if you like a creamier dip.
19. Spoon into a serving dish and serve as a dipping sauce with crudités, crisps, bruschetta or fresh bread.