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Ajvar Recipe - Serbian Roasted Egg Plant-Red Pepper Sauce
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4.75 from 4 votes

Ajvar Recipe

Ajvar is a versatile Serbian roasted red pepper sauce with eggplant that is used as a spread, condiment, sauce or relish, so rich with flavor. Here is the recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course, sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: eggplant, sauce
Servings: 8
Calories: 96kcal

Ingredients

  • 4-5 red bell peppers about 2 pounds – I used a variety of sweet reds and Sigaretto Cayenne types I grew in the garden this year as an alternative
  • 1 medium-sized eggplant
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon spicy chili flakes optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. If using wood pellets for the smoky flavor, get those ready now. See the recipes NOTES on this.
  • Poke holes into the eggplant skin in several areas with a fork and set it on the grill along with the red peppers.
  • Grill the eggplant and peppers about 30 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the red pepper skins char and puff up and the eggplant softens all over.
  • Remove them from the heat. Cover them in a bowl with a towel to let them steam.
  • When cooled, peel away the pepper skins and toss them out. Scoop out the eggplant and discard the skin and stem.
  • Add the roasted peppers and eggplant to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. Process it all to your preference, either smoother or chunkier.
  • Pour the mixture into a large pan and simmer for 20-30 minutes to let the flavors develop even further. You can simmer longer if you'd like to develop more flavor.
  • Adjust for salt and pepper and serve!

Notes

Lasts about a week in the refrigerator.
Makes about 2 cups.
NOTES: The wood smoke is completely optional, but it does add a nice smoky flavor. If smoking on the grill, set the pellets in your grill’s smoker box and set it over flames so the wood chips will light for you. You can to get a good amount of smoke on the peppers and eggplant, if desired. As an alternative to the grill, use your oven and roast as above at 450 degrees F to achieve the same effect.

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1950IU | Vitamin C: 78.5mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.5mg