Syrian Eggplant Dip with Tahini and Yogurt

This is the traditional Syrian eggplant spread. The final dish requires no pretentious name, no exotic spices or other fancy ingredients—it doesn’t even have pepper! You can omit the pomegranate seeds—though the red jewels make the grayish spread more attractive, they don’t really add any extra flavor to the nutty, earthy dip. I am following the recipe given to me by Paula Wolfert, the doyenne of Mediterranean foods, which she found going through old notes from a 1989 trip to Syria. I am gr