There are tons of variations to Ajvar. In accordance with the BBC, essentially the most fundamental recipe consists of roasted crimson peppers, salt, oil, and vinegar. Among the extra frequent additions are eggplant and garlic (through MezeHub). The primary revealed recipe for Ajvar comes from the Nice Serbian Cookbook by Katarina Popović which was revealed within the nineteenth century.
Popović’s recipe occurs to incorporate eggplant, however the one ingredient that appears to be completely important is the roasted crimson peppers. In accordance with the meals weblog Ajvar, Kurtovska kapija crimson peppers are most popular for ajvar, although cooks can substitute crimson bell peppers, if mandatory. The historical past of ajvar is tied on to the pepper. It is thought of a winter dish as a result of peppers are harvested and used for ajvar within the Fall, in keeping with Ajvar.com. They’re then saved in jars, and loved all through the winter till recent greens return in Spring. Today ajvar is loved all year long (through BBC).
Some recipes char the peppers over a charcoal fireplace for smokiness, whereas others favor the much less intense warmth of an oven. From there, the peppers are peeled and added to a meals processor with every other desired elements (through Chasing the Donkey). The paste is then transferred to the range the place it’s left to cook dinner down and permit the flavors time to return collectively.