Our family loves a dish called Hunkar Begendi, which is an eggplant puree made with Bechamel sauce. It's heavenly served with fresh tomato sauce and meatballs. Pretty darn great without the sauce and meatballs. From The Mediterranean Kitchen by Joyce Goldstein:
Hunkar Begendi
3 medium globe eggplants, 1 pound each
For the Bechamel:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tbsps. flour
1 cup heavy cream, heated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch fresh nutmeg
1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prick each eggplant in a few places with a fork. Put them in a roasting pan and bake until very soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Turn them occasionally for even cooking. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel and drain the pulp in a colander for 15 minutes. Puree the pulp in a food processor (you should have 6 to 8 cups).
For the bechamel, heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. Add the flour and cook until blended, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the cream and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Combine the eggplant puree, bechamel and Parmesan in a mixing bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep the eggplant puree warm over hot water until ready to serve or reheat just before serving.