Roast the eggplant on a grill on high heat, constantly turning on all sides, top and bottom, until soft and deflated; this may take up to 30 minutes. If you don’t have a grill, do this by roasting it on your stovetop: remove the grate from the stovetop and prick several holes in the eggplant skin. Turn the flame up high and place the eggplant over the flame, using a fork to turn it over occasionally. Roasting until the skin is ash is ideal!

Remove from flame with heat-resistant tongs and place in a heat-proof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

Remove and discard the top stem and the burnt skin of the eggplant and place the “meat” of the eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle ¼ tsp kosher salt, mix a bit and let the bitter juices drain, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, puree 1-2 garlic cloves with a dash of kosher salt in a mortar and pestle, or food processor. Set aside.

Place the drained eggplant in the mortar or food processor, add a bit of the garlic and mash or process together until the mixture turns airy and homogenous. Taste and add more garlic if desired. Alternatively, you can chop the eggplant and garlic on a cutting board until it becomes a loose paste. Add salt to taste.

Place the mixture on a plate and form into a small low mound. Chill until serving. Serve with matzo and fish course.