Niš Ajvar (Roasted Pepper Relish) 🫑

Zubereitung

1. 1

   Char peppers (and eggplant) over a gas flame or in a 220°C oven until skins blacken and blister everywhere; sweat covered 20 min, then peel, seed, drain — do not rinse.

2. 2

   Mince the peppers fine with a knife (or grind through a coarse plate). Traditional nišlije never use a blender: texture matters.

3. 3

   Simmer the pulp in a wide heavy pot, stirring often, until it loses its raw water — 40–60 min. It should dull and start to pull from the spoon clean.

4. 4

   Add oil little by little, stirring; the ajvar darkens and glosses as it drinks it. Eggplant mince, if using, goes in at this stage with the garlic. Total slow cook: about an hour more.

5. 5

   Finish with salt, sugar, vinegar (and hot chili for ljuti). Fill into hot jars, seal with a layer of oil on top; it keeps for months in a cool cellar. Eat spread on bread, under grilled meat, with cheese.