Ajvar--Serbian "Salsa" with Red Peppers and Eggplants (Aubergine)

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Ajvar! It is the end of summer and the red peppers and eggplants are plentiful so now is the time to make ajvar. Pronounced eye-vahr, this tasty spread was introduced to us by one of our Serbian kids when he brought a large jar from home to us. When we visited Serbia 2 years ago, we became addicted.

Imagine sitting down at a Serbian dinner table and having a large bowl of glorious roasted red peppers and eggplants in front of you with a plate of thick bread. Then imagine trying to eat anything else after stuffing yourself with ajvar. When Nathaniel was in Serbia last year on business, he asked the waiter for the roasted eggplant and pepper spread and he said, "Ah, ajvar." Ah, indeed.

This is basically a spread made of roasted eggplants and red peppers pureed with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, hot pepper, and parsley. We grow Serbian peppers in our garden and they are significantly different than American peppers. Peppers in Serbia are called paprikas and they are not as big around but longer. We have 3 kinds of Serbian peppers in our garden: large sweet, long hot, and tiny super hot.

I am canning ajvar now and hope to can about 20 small jars. Serving a small bowl of ajvar with good crackers to guests never ceases to bring the question: "What is this? It's amazing." Ajvar is so good but except for specialty stores that sell Balkan foods, you can't find it here. Trader Joe's sells a roasted pepper and eggplant spread which is basically ajvar but they probably didn't call it ajvar since no one would know what it is!

Eat an oven to 475 degrees.

2 large eggplants
6 large red peppers
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c olive oil
3 T fresh lemon juice
3 T chopped flat leaf parsley
salt, pepper
Hot pepper flakes--or roast a hot pepper with the sweet ones

Place the peppers and eggplants (aubergine) on a cooking sheet and roast 20-25 minutes until the skins of the peppers are black. Put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, scrap out the pulp of the eggplant into a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients. When the peppers are cool, remove the blackened skin and seeds and add the peppers to the food processor. Pulse into smooth.

To can the ajvar, warm the ajvar in the microwave until hot to the touch throughout. Ladle into hot jars and can in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.