Romanian Roasted Eggplant Spread

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place the eggplants and sweet red peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 35–45 minutes, turning the vegetables once, until the skins are charred and the flesh is soft.

Transfer the hot eggplants and peppers to a bowl, cover, and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel off the skins, remove the seeds from the peppers, and finely chop the flesh of both vegetables with a knife.

Finely chop the onion. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the sunflower oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes until soft, without browning.

Peel the tomatoes, chop them finely, and add to the onion. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato mixture thickens slightly.

Add the chopped eggplant and peppers, bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Stir and simmer uncovered over the lowest heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring often, until the spread is thick and the oil begins to separate around the edges.

Remove the bay leaf, taste, and add more salt or black pepper if needed. Transfer the spread to a bowl, let cool to room temperature, and serve on slices of bread.