Roasted Eggplant Sabich Bowl

Step 1

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Place 4 eggs on the counter to let them come to room temperature.

Step 2

Whisk together 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon za’atar, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt in a large bowl. Grate 3 garlic cloves, add 2 to the bowl, and whisk to combine. Place the third grated garlic clove in a small bowl or lidded jar; set aside.

Step 3

Trim 1 eggplant and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 7 cups). Add to the large bowl along with 4 cups coleslaw mix. Use your hands to toss the vegetables with the spiced oil. Transfer onto a rimmed baking sheet (do not wash the bowl) and spread into an even layer. Roast, tossing halfway through, until the eggplant is tender, 30 to 35 minutes total. Meanwhile, prepare the salad, make the tahini sauce, and cook the eggs.

Step 4

Make the salad: Prep the following ingredients and add to the now-empty bowl: Halve 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups). Chop 2 Persian cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups). Finely chop until you have 1/4 cup loosely-packed fresh parsley leaves. Juice 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons), and add 1 tablespoon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt into the bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

Step 5

Make the tahini sauce: Add 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the reserved garlic and stir or shake to combine (the mixture will thicken and may seize; this is okay). Add 3 tablespoons water and stir, adding a 4th tablespoon if needed to make a pourable sauce. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Step 6

Cook the eggs: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Gently lower the eggs into the water and boil for 7 1/2 minutes for jammy eggs. Drain, then run the eggs under cool running water until cool to the touch.

Step 7

When the eggplant mixture is ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add 1 cup pita chips, break them into bite-sized pieces, and toss to combine.

Step 8

Assemble the bowls: Spread 2 tablespoons hummus into each of 4 shallow bowls. Add some of the warm eggplant mixture, then use a slotted spoon to add the tomato-cucumber salad. Peel and halve the eggs, then top each bowl with an egg. Drizzle with some of the tahini sauce (you’ll have some leftover). Serve with zhug or hot sauce, if desired.