Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Dip with Caraway Crackers

To make the Crackers

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, yeast, agave and oil. Add water slowly until mixture is a firm but pliable dough similar in feel to a pizza dough, but slightly stiffer. You may not need all of the water. Knead for ten minutes, cover with plastic and a towel and let proof 90 minutes in a warm place. Alternatively, you can put the dough in the refrigerator and let sit overnight then bring to room temperature and continue with recipe.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Cut the dough in half and then roll out each half paper thin on a floured surface in the shape of a rectangle. This will require a few rest periods while the gluten relaxes. Let rest for five minutes one last time before transferring to each pan. Each rectangle should then fit in a parchment lined half sheet pan (12X16 ½). The dough does not have to touch the sides but does need to be really thin to get a cracker consistency when baked. If it hangs over, trim the edges.
4. Mist each dough rectangle slightly with water and then sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds and one teaspoon of salt over each pan. Then with a pizza wheel or sharp knife, make horizontal and vertical cuts to form each cracker. Don’t worry about perfection, these should be rustic looking and not evenly cut. Also don’t worry about cutting all the way through. Once they bake, they will snap at the seams.
5. Spray a tiny mist of pan spray over the tops just so the caraway seeds stick while baking. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until browned and crispy. Let cool on pans for five minutes before removing.

To Make the Dip

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Loosely wrap whole uncut eggplant in foil and place in oven and roast for one hour.
3. While eggplant is cooking, and in a small bowl, mix two tablespoons of the olive oil, diced leeks, smashed garlic, drained white beans, white wine vinegar, white wine, salt and pepper. Mix and pour into small pan and roast in oven when the eggplant has cooked for 35 minutes so that they both come out of the oven together. The leek and bean mixture will take 25 minutes, tossing once half way.
4. Remove both from oven. Let the eggplant cool enough to handle and cut off stem end. Slice vertically top to bottom so you have two halves. With a melon baller or spoon, remove and discard seed cavities. Then press down slightly so it lays flat and run your knife between the skin and the flesh. Remove flesh to a food processor. It may take a few swipes of the knife to remove the flesh, just keep the knife blade parallel with the cutting board. The usable amount of cooked eggplant will be about half of the original weight you started with.
5. Add the bean and leek mixture to the food processor with the eggplant.
6. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, parsley, thyme, mayonnaise and hot sauce. Pulse a few times, scrape the sides of the bowl and then puree for about 20-30 seconds. The mixture should be slightly lumpy so don’t over process.
7. Chill mixture until ready to serve then place in a bowl and drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top and serve with caraway crackers.