Zacusca Recipe – Romanian Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Spread

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants

  aka aubergines
• 4 large red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium white onion

  chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers

  optional, or use a serrano pepper or 2 for a spicier version
• 1 pound fresh tomatoes

  diced (canned tomatoes are good, too, or even tomato sauce)
• ½ cup sunflower oil

  you can use olive oil or other vegetable oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon honey

  optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

  I use about 1 teaspoon each

Instructions

• 1 Poke the eggplant flesh in several places with a knife (this allows steam to
  escape when cooking).
• 2 Remove the stems from the peppers and core them. Slice them in half lengthwise.
• 3 FOR GRILLING: Heat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Set the
  eggplant and red peppers (skin sides uonto the grates and close the lid. Grill
  20 minutes, or until the red pepper skins bubble up and char. Remove them.
  Continue to grill the eggplant, flipping every few minutes to get an even char
  on the skins and the flesh is softened up, another 20 minutes or so. Remove from
  heat.
• 4 FOR BAKING: Set the eggplant and red peppers onto a large foil-lined baking
  sheet.
• 5 Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake the egglplant and peppers for 20 minutes,
  until the pepper skins char and bubble up. Remove the peppers and flip the
  eggplants. Continue to roast until the eggplants soften and blacken, another
  20-25 minutes. Remove from heat.
• 6 When the peppers and eggplant are done, remove the pepper skins and discard
  them. Set them aside for now, covered.
• 7 Scoop out the eggplant flesh and discard the skins. Place the eggplant flesh
  into a strainer and sprinkle with salt. Let the liquids drain out for 1 hour.
• 8 Add the drained eggplant and chili peppers to a blender or food processor and
  process until chunky.
• 9 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add the onion and jalapeno peppers
  (and/or serrano peppers, if you’re using them). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring,
  until everything softens up.
• 10 Add the processed eggplant and red peppers, fresh or canned tomatoes, sunflower
  oil, honey (if using), and salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce
  the heat. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until everything breaks down and
  combines into a thicker spread to your preferred thickness. I like to simmer
  60-90 minutes to develop more flavor. If it dries out too much, add in a few
  tablespoons of water.
• 11 Remove the bay leaf and adjust for salt and pepper.

Nutrition Info