Ajvar
A thick Serbian vegetable spread made from sweet red peppers and eggplant, roasted for a smoky flavor and slow-cooked with garlic.
Ingredients
- red bell pepper5 pcs
- eggplant1 pcs
- garlic3 cloves
- sunflower oil60 ml
- white wine vinegar1 tbsp
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper1 to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Wash 5 red bell peppers and 1 eggplant; pierce the eggplant in several places with a fork.
Place the peppers and eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through, until the pepper skins are charred and blistered and the eggplant is completely soft.
Transfer the hot vegetables to a bowl, cover with a lid, and let sit for 15 minutes: the steam will loosen the skins.
Peel the charred skin off the peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Peel the eggplant, discarding the skin and stem. Finely chop the flesh with a knife or process into a coarse purée.
Heat 60 ml of sunflower oil in a wide pot, add the vegetable mixture and 3 minced garlic cloves. Simmer over low heat for 35–45 minutes, stirring often, until the excess moisture evaporates and the ajvar thickens.
Stir in 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper to taste; heat through for another 2–3 minutes and remove from the heat.
Serve the ajvar warm or fully chilled as an appetizer, a sauce for dishes, or a vegetable side.
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