Traditional Ajvar (Roasted Red Pepper And Eggplant Relish)

For those of you who have never been to Croatia or some other neighboring countries, you’ve likely never even tried traditionally made ajvar. However, you’ve heard of it and want to know more about it, so let me introduce you briefly to what ajvar is all about.

What Is Ajvar?

To put it briefly, ajvar is a type of condiment or relish made mainly from roasted red horn peppers and, in some cases, eggplants. It can be used as a dip, a spread or even added to other cooked meals, like Croatian bean and meat stew (grah varivo).

In Croatia, it’s very often served with ćevapi and lepinja. Whenever we have a barbecue during those longer spring and summer days, ajvar is an indispensable companion to barbecued sausages, chicken wings, and other types of meat. It’s often eaten in Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Albania, and North Macedonia, too.

You can find different quality ajvar on the store shelves, but one is for sure: the best ajvar needs to be creamy and thick, with a smoky aroma.

This Croatian ajvar recipe is a very traditional one and it’s been on the blog since the beginning of my blogging days. I’ve finally translated it so you can see how to make it like my family does.

How To Make A Really Good Ajvar Relish

A truly great ajvar is a combination of a lot of factors, and my advice is not to take any recipe you see on the internet or in cookbooks literally, but to adapt it to your preferences.

For me, to make a good ajvar, several things are necessary:

• high-quality and fresh ingredients
• a lot of patience and time
• listening to your own palate
• a good company

First of all, let me warn you right away.

In my opinion, preparing ajvar is by no means a job for one person, especially if you want to do it in such a traditional way and in the quantities that are done in the Balkans.

It is a job in which usually the whole family participates, and it takes at least 2, even 3 days to prepare it. In addition, the best ajvar does not allow laziness, sloppiness, and rushing. Devote to this process completely and you will be rewarded with a top result.

It is really one of the most difficult types of preserves to prepare, but also one of the most rewarding. Also, make sure you listen to your favorite music playlist, because that way every step of this process will seem easier and faster!

Choose The Right And High-Quality Ingredients

First, you will need red peppers. And not those usual red bell peppers you can see in the supermarket throughout the whole year, oh no.

You need red horn peppers, or as we call it in Croatian, rog paprika (paprika roga). They have unique, special aromas and flavors and they are the star ingredient in homemade ajvar. Choose the fleshy ones, as flat as possible, without visible damage, and with a lower water content. Avoid green ones, as they are often less sweet, and will also affect the color of the finished product.

As for the eggplants, we always choose the big, fleshy purple ones and always get a great ajvar with them. The eggplant skin must be smooth and tight; avoid shriveled ones because they are old and not the best quality for this preserve.

Also, real ajvar relish needs to be spicy and hot to some extent, so you will also need chili peppers for this recipe. We use feferonke, but you can experiment with other hot peppers.

Pay Special Attention To Roasting Vegetables

Now a few thoughts about the process of making ajvar.

For me, there are two types of ajvar: cooked and roasted. Ajvar made from raw peppers and eggplant directly on the stove has its fans and I also use it in my kitchen, but more often during the preparation of some other dishes. I like to add it to stews, sauces, and even different doughs, and it works great there.

Ajvar made from roasted peppers and eggplant is totally different and superior in flavor and texture. It’s a real delicacy and the recipe I’m going to show you is the one for roasted ajvar.

Peppers and eggplants can be roasted for ajvar in several ways:

Roasting peppers and eggplants on a wood-burning cook stove

This is how my family usually does it. This is a good technique for those who like a mild-smoke aroma. You have to turn the peppers often so that they are roasted equally on all sides. In this case, we roast the eggplants in the oven. The downside is that this roasting procedure is more physically demanding. You have to be careful not to burn the peppers and your fingers, too. Nevertheless, I recommend you to this way of roasting if you have access to a cook stove like this.

Roasting peppers and eggplants in the oven

This is the most acceptable method for everyone who has a classic gas oven. I recommend that you put parchment paper on the sheets that you’ll be using for roasting to make them easier to clean later.

Roasting peppers and eggplants on the grill

Some people like to grill red horn peppers and eggplants for preparing ajvar. We haven’t tried this method so far, so I can’t say if it’s good or not. I believe that it would be great for people who like a more pronounced smoky flavor and it’s definitely worth trying.

In addition, we roast the peppers and eggplants whole. You don’t need to slice them beforehand, in fact, it’s better not to. We noticed that whole roasted vegetables keep better flavor, especially the peppers.

Given that we always make a really big batch of ajvar, we like to cook it outdoors in some type of outdoor cooking pot. You can, of course, cook it indoors too, but make sure to have a really, really big pot.

More Tips For a Superb Roasted Ajvar Relish

• Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with a plastic bag to steam. This will make it easier to remove the skin. If the peppers have released a lot of water, drain them.
• While peeling the peppers, have a bowl of clean water nearby so that you can wash your fingers from the seeds and skins that will stick to your fingers. I know you will be tempted, but do not rinse roasted vegetables in water!
• Before grinding, be sure to let the roasted peppers and eggplants drain overnight, and grind them in a manual meat grinder.
• Do not leave the ajvar unattended at any time and stir constantly because it can burn very easily. When that happens, you will not be able to improve the taste with anything.
• Gradually add oil to the ajvar every 20-30 minutes, and add most of the spices in the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.
• For a very creamy roasted ajvar in this amount from the recipe, it takes 2.5 to 3 hours of cooking, so you have to be patient!

Sterilization Of The Jars For Ajvar

Wash the jars with their metal lids well with hot water and detergent and let them drain briefly. While they are still a little wet, put them in a hot oven at a minimum of 100°C to dry them completely and sterilize them. Put the hot ajvar in warm jars, immediately close them tightly, turn them upside down, and let them cool completely. If you accidentally dirty the edges of the jar while filling, be sure to wipe them with kitchen paper, otherwise the ajvar could start to spoil there.

Pasteurization is not necessary, but you can do it if you want.

You can add a little sunflower oil to the top of the filled jar with ajvar, before closing the lid. This will additionally help prevent oxidation and possible spoiling of the ajvar. If you do everything carefully, paying attention to hygiene during preparation and storage in jars, there is no chance that your ajvar will spoil.

How To Eat And Use Ajvar Relish

• Use it as a bread spread or as a spread in your sandwiches and wraps;
• Spoon the ajvar over grilled meats like chicken, sausages, or pork to add a burst of smoky flavor;
• Serve ajvar alongside scrambled eggs, poached eggs, or omelets.
• Use it as a dip for raw veggies, breadsticks, or tortilla chips;
• Serve it how the people in the Balkans do; with ćevapi and lepinja.