Ajvar

the Balkan autumn ritual in a jar: red kapia peppers roasted over fire, peeled by hand, and milled with oil and vinegar into a thick, sweet, smoky relish eaten all winter

Origin: Serbia

From the journey of Bell Pepper.

Ajvar is less a recipe than a season. Through September and October, when the fleshy red kapia and roga peppers come in by the sackful and are at their cheapest across Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Croatia, families gather outdoors to make it: peppers roasted in batches over open fires, wood stoves, or gas rings until the skins are black and blistered, sweated under a cloth or in covered tubs, then peeled and deseeded entirely by hand, a job that occupies aunts, grandmothers, and reluctant children for the better part of a day. The peeled flesh is minced or milled and then cooked slowly with oil, salt, and vinegar, stirred almost continuously for hours until it darkens, thickens, and the oil rises. The result, jarred and kept through the winter, is eaten on bread, beside grilled meats and cheese, with eggs, and by the spoonful; it is spoken of half-seriously as Serbian caviar, and every household is convinced that its own is correct. The great perennial dispute is whether aubergine belongs in it: purists insist on pepper alone, while a great many families add a proportion of aubergine for smoothness and economy. Both are given here. North Macedonia makes it in at least the same quantity, and the autumn pečenje, when peppers are roasted in bulk on pavements and balconies, belongs to the whole region rather than to one republic of it. Which country makes the best is argued every September and settled never.

Ingredients

  • 3 kg fleshy red peppers (kapia, roga, or ramiro)
  • 500 g aubergine, optional (for the smoother household style)
  • 200 ml sunflower or mild olive oil
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp salt, or to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed, optional

Method

  1. Roast the peppers (and the aubergine, if using) whole over an open fire, on a barbecue, under a hot grill, or in a very hot oven, turning until the skins are blackened and blistered all over.
  2. Pile the hot peppers into a bowl or tub, cover tightly with a cloth or lid, and leave for 20 to 30 minutes to sweat.
  3. Peel every pepper by hand, removing all skin, stalks, and seeds, and leave the flesh to drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Do not rinse them.
  4. Mince the drained flesh coarsely, through a mincer or with a food processor pulsed briefly, so the texture stays slightly rough rather than becoming a purée.
  5. Put the minced pepper in a wide, heavy pan with the oil and salt and cook over a low to medium heat, stirring very frequently with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 1½ hours, until it darkens to a deep brick red, thickens so a spoon leaves a clear channel, and the oil separates and glistens on the surface. Stir in the vinegar and the garlic if using in the last 10 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar, then ladle the hot ajvar into warm sterilised jars, seal, and (for long keeping) process in a water bath. Store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

The kapia pepper, long, pointed, thick-fleshed, and deep red, is the correct one and is what makes Balkan ajvar taste as it does; ramiro or other fleshy sweet red peppers are the best substitutes, and thin-walled peppers should be avoided. Ajvar ranges from blago (mild) to ljuto (hot), the latter made by roasting in a proportion of hot chillies. Serve it with bread and young cheese, alongside ćevapi and other grilled meats, folded into eggs, or as a sauce for roast vegetables.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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