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. You can see how the eggplant skin has darkened and is ready to come off the grill. It’s a classic recipe popular in Romania, emphasizing local ingredients, and even though it’s characterized as a spread, it’s much more versatile than that. I’ve used it as a pasta sauce and also as a dip with bagel chips. You can do so much with this recipe once you put your mind to it. The peppers used are called the Gogosari pepper (variety of Capsicum annuum), characterized by their large, round pods that are deep red in color. The pepper walls are thick and fleshy, and sweet in taste. They’ve been grown in Romania for the last hundred years. Zacusca is usually in large batches after abundant harvests, then canned or jarred for preserving, allowing families to enjoy it all year long. Let’s talk about how we make zacusca, shall we?
Eggplants. Aka aubergines. Red Bell Peppers. Olive Oil. White Onion. Chopped. Jalapeno Peppers. Optional, or use a serrano pepper for a spicier version. Fresh Tomatoes. Diced (canned tomatoes are good, too, or even tomato sauce). Sunflower Oil. You can use olive oil or other vegetable oil. Bay Leaf. Honey. Optional. Salt and Pepper.
FOR GRILLING: Heat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Set the eggplant and red peppers (skin sides up) onto the grates and close the lid. Grill 20 minutes, or until the red pepper skins bubble up and char. Add the drained eggplant and chili peppers to a blender or food processor and process until chunky. FOR BAKING: Set the eggplant and red peppers onto a large foil-lined baking sheet. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. 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. When the peppers and eggplant are done, remove the pepper skins and discard them. Set them aside for now, covered. 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. Makes about 1.5 quarts. 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. Remove the bay leaf and adjust for salt and pepper. This is a popular recipe for canning. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. I’ve also served it with crunchy bagel chips at a party and people enjoyed it. Try it out spooned over grilled meats, or as a topping for your burgers, sausages or sandwiches. It’s an excellent vegetarian choice.
Try Some of Other Popular Sauce Recipes
Ajvar - Serbian Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Sauce (very similar) Muhammara Chermoula Zhug Ratatouille Recipe Homemade Harissa Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Sambal Oelek Peri Peri Sauce Romesco Sauce Roasted Red Peppers
