1 lg. eggplant (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.)
1 c. finely chopped onions
6 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped red or green pepper
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
2 lg. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped (or 1/4 c. canned tomato puree)
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tbsp. lemon juice
Pumpernickel bread

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake the eggplant in the oven for about 1 hour until the eggplant is soft and skin is charred and blistered. Cook the onions in 4 tablespoons of oil over moderate heat for 6 to 8 minutes until they are soft. Stir in the peppers and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Scrape the entire contents of the skillet into a good sized bowl. Remove the skin from the baked eggplant with a small sharp knife, then chop the eggplant finely - almost to a puree (I use a processor for this). Add the eggplant to the contents in the bowl and stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over moderate heat and pour in the eggplant mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then turn heat to low, cover skillet, and simmer another 15 minutes or until moisture evaporates from the pan. Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add more lemon juice to taste. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill. Serve as spread on bread or crackers. Good for a sandwich. Keeps in refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.