🌶️ Hot chili or flakes (optional): 1 small chili or 1 tsp flakes
Preparation
1️⃣ Roast: Broil or grill peppers (and eggplant) on high, turning, until heavily charred and soft (25–35 min).
2️⃣ Steam & peel: Transfer to a bowl, cover 15 min to steam. Peel skins; remove stems/seeds. Drain in a sieve 20–30 min to reduce excess liquid.
3️⃣ Chop: Finely chop by hand or pulse in a processor to a coarse paste (don’t purée completely).
4️⃣ Cook down: In a wide pot, warm oil. Add pepper/eggplant mixture and garlic. Cook on medium-low, stirring often, until thick, glossy, and reduced (35–45 min).
5️⃣ Season: Stir in vinegar, salt, sugar, black pepper, and chili (if using). Simmer 3–5 min more; adjust to taste.
6️⃣ Serve/store: Cool. Keep refrigerated up to 1 week, or jar hot into sterilized jars for longer storage.
Total Time
🕒 Prep: 25 min
🔥 Cook: 1 h 20 min
⏳ Total: 1 h 45 min
Nutritional Value
🔋 Energy: ~45 kcal
💪 Protein: ~1 g
🧈 Fat: ~3 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: ~4 g
🧂 Sodium: ~180 mg
Advice
Drain the roasted peppers well before simmering—less water means faster reduction and a silkier, jammy finish.
Why it works
Charring concentrates pepper sugars and adds smoke; slow cooking in oil creates an emulsion that turns the spread velvety, while a splash of vinegar brightens and preserves.
Twist
Lutenica vibe: Add 150 g (1 cup) roasted tomatoes and 1 tsp ground cumin.
Garlicky: Fold in 1 extra clove off heat for a fresher bite.
Extra-smoky: Use a bit of smoked paprika or grill over hardwood.
Status
Homemade Ajvar = instant Balkan soul on your table—spread it thick and watch it vanish. #grannyzen #ajvar 🫑✨
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