Ajvar 🫑 Serbian Roasted Pepper Spread 🇷🇸 (Roasted Pepper & Eggplant Relish)

Description

Slow-roasted red peppers and smoky eggplant cooked down with garlic and a gloss of sunflower oil—jammy, sweet–savory, bakery-sandwich ready. 🔥🫒

Hook: Roast, peel, reduce—30 minutes on the stove for a silky, brick-red Balkan classic. ⚡

Ingredients

• 🫑 Red bell/roasting peppers, whole: 1.5 kg (about 8–10 pcs / 10–12 cups chopped / 3.3 lb)
• 🍆 Eggplant, whole: 400 g (1 medium / 3 cups chopped / 14.1 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, very finely minced: 10 g (3–4 cloves / 0.35 oz)
• 🫗 Sunflower oil (traditional; or mild EVOO): 120 ml (½ cup / 4 fl oz)
• 🍎 White wine or apple cider vinegar: 20–30 ml (4–6 tsp / 0.68–1 fl oz)
• 🍬 Sugar (to balance acidity): 5–10 g (1–2 tsp / 0.18–0.35 oz)
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈12 g / 2 tsp)
• 🌶️ Hot paprika or chili flakes (optional, to taste): 1–2 g (½–1 tsp / 0.04–0.07 oz)
• ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🌿 Parsley, finely chopped (optional): 1 tbsp (4 g / 0.14 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Char & peel: Broil/grill 🫑 peppers and 🍆 eggplant, turning, until uniformly blistered (15–20 min). Pile into a bowl, cover 10 min to steam, then peel skins; deseed peppers and scoop eggplant flesh.
2. 2️⃣ Chop or grind: Chop very fine for rustic texture or pulse in a processor (don’t puree completely).
3. 3️⃣ Start the pot: Warm 🫗 oil in a wide pan. Add the pepper–eggplant mixture, 🧄 garlic, and a pinch of 🧂 salt. Cook on medium-low, stirring often, 20–25 min until thick, glossy, and no liquid pools.
4. 4️⃣ Balance: Stir in 🍎 vinegar, 🍬 sugar, 🌶️ hot paprika (if using), and ⚫ pepper; simmer 2–3 min. Adjust 🧂 salt/🍎 acid. Fold in 🌿 parsley if using.
5. 5️⃣ Cool & store: Cool and refrigerate up to 1 week, or jar hot in sterilized jars for longer keeping.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 25 min
🔥 Cook: 25–30 min
⏳ Total: 50–55 min

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