I’m still working through the last of the eggplant from the garden, so, as is always the case when I find myself with eggplant, I immediately thought of this recipe. Fresh tortillas oozing warm hummus, caramelized onions dripping in olive oil, crunchy lettuce and fresh tomatoes, and, of course, salty slices of roasted eggplant.

This recipe is my version of something my family calls ‘Three-Napkin Wraps,” so christened by my little sister because it’s so messy, your hands need three napkins to get through the meal. Someone in my family started making it after a trip to a restaurant they all love—and love to rave about to me, making me infinitely jealous I can’t go myself. Well, after I tried my family’s version, I had to make it myself, and this is the result.

This recipe is particularly conducive to variations. It’s superb with some creamy avocado slices, and I’ve also enjoyed it with whole chickpeas thrown in the mix. I think other roasted vegetables would be nice as well, maybe some broccoli, or even shredded carrot. If you try a variation, let me know in the comments!

I made this with homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas, but you could easily use store-bought, burrito-style tortillas. In some ways, those nice, large, thin rounds would make it much easier to eat these wraps. With the homemade tortillas, they almost become tacos, but you can’t beat a fresh tortilla, warm off the griddle, for taste. I think this recipe would also be particularly nice in pita bread.

Speed it Up: I’ve given you all the instructions needed to make this entirely from scratch, however, there is a huge amount of wiggle room here. First, as mentioned above, you can use store-bought tortillas or pita bread. You can also use per-packaged hummus, or make it ahead of time. I do think it’s best warm, though, so heat it up if you’re not making it immediately before serving. In addition to the hummus, every other part of these wraps can be prepared in advance, although if you’re making the tortillas, they will be best if made directly before serving. Also, if you plan out your meals ahead of time (like me) to try and maximize your time, double or triple the amount of eggplant you broil and use the rest for this Eggplant Parmigiana recipe.

Special Diets and Allergies: Vegan and dairy-free if you use the right tortillas or this recipe; nut-free; wheat-free if you use brown-rice or other gluten-free wraps (I’ve heard good things about the Trader Joe’s brand GF tortillas).

Meat Option: Add pre-cooked and shredded chicken or strips of pork.

Eggplant Hummus Wraps

Serves 4

These wraps are bursting with flavor—and saucy ingredients! Make sure you keep some napkins on hand, to wipe up dribbles of salty olive oil and hummus. The crisp lettuce and fresh tomatoes add texture to the smooth and garlicky hummus and the creamy roasted eggplants. Make sure you don’t leave out the onions; they’re absolutely essential. Serve these for lunch or a light dinner, by themselves or with soup.

4 large or 8 small tortillas

Filling:

Hummus:
1 C chickpeas, warm
1/4 C bean cooking liquid (also warm)
salt to taste
1/2 T olive oil
2 small to medium cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 t lemon juice
Directions:

1. Puree in a food processor until smooth and set aside.

Broiled Eggplant:
1-2 medium to large eggplants
Olive oil
Salt
Directions:

1. Turn the broiler on to high.
2. Wash the eggplants and trim their green tops off. Slice into 1/4″ thick rounds. Place as many as you can fit in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet and lightly brush the top sides with oil. Sprinkle with salt. (I would err on the side of too much.)
3. Place under broiler and cook until the flesh is golden brown in the middle and some of the edges are starting to crinkle and turn a deep brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the eggplant slices over, lightly brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place back under the broiler and cook until golden brown, about 3 more minutes.
4. Repeat with the rest of the eggplant slices until they are all toasted.

Sauteed Onions
1 extra large yellow or red onion
2 T olive oil
Directions:

1. Heat 2 T of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring once in awhile, until the onions are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the kale or chard and 1/2 t salt and stir until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Other Filling Ingredients:
4 large lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced

Assembly:

1. Spread hummus on the tortillas, then layer eggplant, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. Roll into a wrap if using large tortillas, or fold the sides over and secure with a toothpick if using the smaller, homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas recipe.