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- Homemade ajvar from roasted peppers
Homemade ajvar from roasted peppers
Ingredients
Step by step process
Roasting the vegetables
- 1
For the ajvar, get the red peppers and eggplant ready, wash them, pat them dry, and heat the oven to 220 °C.
- 2
Arrange the whole peppers and eggplant on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and roast for about 30 minutes. Turn them a few times until the skin blackens and starts to peel away.
- 3
Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let them steam for 10 minutes. Then pull off the skin, remove the seeds, and pour off the excess juice.
- 4
Halve the eggplant, scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon, and let it drain in a sieve so the finished spread is not watery.
Cooking and blending
- 5
Blend the peppers and eggplant flesh with the pressed garlic until smooth. If you like a coarser texture, simply chop them finely instead.
- 6
Heat the sunflower oil in a pot, pour in the blended vegetables, and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 45 minutes until the mixture thickens and turns glossy.
- 7
At the end, stir in the wine vinegar, salt, and sugar, plus a chopped chili pepper if you like. Cook for another 5 minutes and season to taste.
Filling and serving
- 8
Spoon the hot ajvar into clean sterilized jars, seal them, and let them cool upside down. Serve with bread, grilled meat, or hard cheese.
More tips:
Roast the peppers until the skin really blackens. The charred spots give ajvar its typical smoky flavor and make the peppers easier to peel.
Simmer over low heat and keep stirring. Toward the end the thick mixture likes to catch on the bottom of the pot and turn bitter.
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