Turkish Ajvar - Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
Turkish Ajvar is a smoky dip made with roasted red peppers, eggplant, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. It comes from the Balkans and is just as at home on a Turkish meze table. Naturally vegan and gluten free, and it keeps for 10 to 14 days in the fridge.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 126kcal
Ingredients
- 3 large red pepper (sweet Romano pepper)
- 1 medium eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Roast and Peel the Vegetables
- Start with the eggplants and red peppers. Poke a few holes in each eggplant with a toothpick so it does not burst, then set them and the peppers straight on a gas burner or over the barbecue.
- Cook them until they’re soft and the skins are nicely charred, turning them regularly to ensure even cooking. This step is key to getting that classic smoky flavor.
- Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven. Bake the eggplants in a preheated oven to 200° C (390° F) for 30-40 minutes, and the peppers for 20-25 minutes until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
- Place the roasted vegetables in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap or a lid for at least 15 minutes. The trapped steam loosens the skins, brings out the smoky flavor, and lets any extra liquid drain.
- Once cooled, peel the eggplants and red peppers, and remove any seeds you find.
Blend and Cook It Down (optional)
- Place the roasted vegetables, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, seasoning, and optional chili peppers in a blender or food processor. Blend to your desired consistency.
- The ajvar is ready to eat at this point. If you would rather follow the traditional method, transfer the blended mixture to a wide pan and cook it over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. Add the oil a little at a time as it cooks, and leave the vinegar and salt until the last few minutes.
- Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for 10 to 14 days, with a thin layer of olive oil poured over the surface. For longer storage, fill sterilized jars while it is still hot and seal straight away.
Notes
Storage
- Fridge: Keep in an airtight jar for 10 to 14 days. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface before sealing, which keeps the top from drying out.
- Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Spoon into small containers, leave a little headroom, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Jars: For longer storage, fill sterilized jars while the ajvar is still hot and seal straight away. Wash jars in hot soapy water and dry them in a 285°F (140°C) oven for 15 minutes. Once opened, use within 10 to 14 days.
- Buy the meatiest peppers you can find. Thick flesh means more pulp and less water, which is what makes ajvar thick rather than runny.
- Romano peppers are the same long, thick-fleshed sweet red pepper that Balkan cooks call kapija. They are also sold as Ramiro or sweet pointed peppers.
- Roasting over a flame is what gives the smoky taste. The oven works, at 390°F (200°C) for 30 to 40 minutes for the eggplants and 20 to 25 for the peppers, but it will not be as deep.
- Cover the hot vegetables and leave them 15 minutes or up to an hour. The steam loosens the skins and lets more liquid drain, and less water means thicker ajvar.
- Peel with your fingers rather than under the tap, as running water washes the smoky flavor away.
- If you cook it down, add the oil a little at a time and leave the vinegar and salt until the last few minutes so the seasoning does not cook flat.
- The cooked version is ready when you drag a spoon across the pan and the trail holds for a second before closing up.
- Taste before jarring. Peppers vary in sweetness through the season, so it may want more vinegar or a pinch of salt.
- Peppers: Bell peppers work if Romano are not available, but they hold more water so the dip comes out looser.
- Olive oil: Sunflower oil is the traditional choice in the Balkans and gives a more neutral result.
- Vinegar: White wine or apple cider vinegar both work. Add it at the end and taste as you go.
- Leave the chili out for a mild ajvar, or blend in two or three hot red peppers for the version known as ljuti ajvar.
- Skip the eggplant for a pure pepper ajvar, which is sweeter and a brighter red.
- Blend it smooth for spreading, or pulse briefly and leave it chunky to serve as a side.
Nutrition
Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3879IU | Vitamin C: 160mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg