Baba Ganouche is a Middle Eastern appetizer or dip made from eggplant.

I once worked for an Egyptian gentleman who professed a hatred of garlic, but loved this dish. I learned a number of Egyptian dishes to please his palate, nearly all of them loaded with garlic. He loved them all. Mashing up the garlic with a mortar helps make it creamy.

I was imagining possible ways to use seitan, when this combination came to me. Even my 84-year-old mother liked it. If you have any fresh shiitake mushrooms, they would go well too; slice them and add to the sauce.

Enjoy this great Middle Eastern dish as an appetizer with pita chips, fresh veggies or crackers.

Oh my, this is delicious and “cheesy”! Note: Nutritional yeast is not Baker’s yeast – it is usually found in the health food or supplement aisle and is a great source of B vitamins, including B12.  It gives the recipe a nutty/cheesy taste.