Is ajvar a sauce, or is it a dip? Either way here is how to make ajvar. This really is an easy-to-make ajvar recipe anyone can try!
So, why do you need to incorporate Ajvar into your kitchen? It’s always good to be on the lookout for new and delicious dishes from around the world.
The problem is, a lot of them require ingredients that aren’t that easy to source in every country, and somehow, they never really taste the same!
Thankfully, some are easy to make and have an incredible range of taste sensations to enjoy. One of those dishes is ajvar.
Ajvar is popular in the Balkans – Serbia, Croatia, and Macedonia all use it. It’s even a must-try food in Romania! I am still not so sure who ‘owns it.’ All I know is I love it.
It is part dip, part sauce, part spread, and occasionally considered to be a relish. The jury is out on what it can be defined as, but it’s delicious all the same!
Ajvar is a blend of the freshest red bell peppers and eggplant. The beauty of this dish is that it is so versatile, and you can enjoy it as part of many meals, such as pasta and meat dishes, and even as a snack with some fresh bread.
The best time to make and enjoy ajvar is when the red bell peppers are harvested and, therefore, at their very freshest, around Autumn time.
You’ll quickly see people carrying huge bagfuls of them around when the harvest is complete, and you can bet that a massive amount of them are destined to be mixed up as ajvar.
My favorite way to enjoy ajvar is with cevapi. Please try this ajvar recipe and then tell me how you like to eat yours.
Ingredients:
- 7 Large Red Peppers (Ajvarka/Red Bull Horn Pepper/ Bell Pepper
- 1 Eggplant
- 1/3 Cup Sunflower Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon White Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Light a chimney full of charcoal and wait for it to lit. Once a few charcoals burn, arrange the rest of the coals on one side of the grate. Set the grate in place, cover the grill, and add some oil.
1a) If you’re baking the peppers in an oven, just preheat the oven to oven to 240°C (470°F).
2. After roughly 10 minutes, cut the peppers into half and add them to the grill/oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until blackened.
3. Remove the peppers from the grill/oven, place them in a large bowl, and cover the bowl with a wrap.
4. In the meantime, pierce the eggplant with a fork, add it on the cool side of the grill, and let it cook until soft and darkened (around 30 minutes).
5. After 30 minutes, remove the eggplant from the grill and let it cool down.
6. After 15 minutes, take the peppers out and remove all of the charred skin and seeds.
7. Trim the top off the eggplant and split it lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft flesh and discard the skin.
7a) Traditionally, the peppers and eggplant are left overnight before continuing the process, but if you don’t want to wait that long, you can proceed with the next step.
8. Take the peppers and what’s left of the eggplant and add everything in a food processor (preferably with a steel blade).
9. Add everything to a large cooking bowl and let it simmer over medium-high heat for roughly 1 hour-90 minutes.
10. Keep stirring every few minutes and add roughly 100 mililiters of oil every 20 minutes.
11. After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for another 30 minutes, but still keep stirring.
12. Add the vinegar, salt, and sugar in the last 20 minutes of cooking, and mix until everything is incorporated.
13. In the meantime, take a jar and keep it in the oven at 100°C (212 °F) for 20 minutes.
14. Remove the ajvar and fill the hot jar with ajvar.
15. Add some hot oil on the top of the jar and seal it.
16. Let it cool down for at least 24 hours before keeping it in the fridge. Or, if you want to eat the ajvar right away, you can as soon as it cools down.
