Eggplant Spread with Yogurt and Herbs

Light but creamy textured, this spread can be served with crackers, spread on bread, or tucked into pita bread. The long, slender Japanese eggplants are generally sweeter than the large, round Western types and don’t require salting. Ordinary eggplant will work, however, when you take care to choose firm and shiny ones. They don’t seem to produce much bitterness, and once baked, they can be handled more quickly and easily than the Japanese variety. If you don’t have fresh thyme, just omit i