I did not grow up eating ajvar and only tried it for the first time when I was about in my mid-twenties. But once I tried it, I was hooked, just like I was hooked on hummus and baba ganoush when I first tried them. You've got to love those addictively delicious spreads. Store-bought ajvar spread is not bad, but homemade is miles better. Try this ajvar recipe; you will love it.

What is ajvar?

Ajvar is a famous Balkan culinary specialty made from roasted sweet red bullhorn peppers. One of the most popular varieties of these bullhorn peppers is the 'ajvarski' pepper - a large, superbly aromatic red sweet pepper shaped like a bull horn. Ajvar is often used as a spread or side dish, aromatic sauce, and flavoring ingredient in Balkan dishes.

Ajvar has a similar consistency of a thick spread and can be enjoyed with a slice of homemade bread, or crackers, as a garnish to grilled meats, or as a flavoring ingredient to other dishes.

Traditional Ajvar Recipe

There isn't one traditional ajvar recipe. There are countless variations of ajvar depending on the region where it is prepared. The basic ajvar is made with only three ingredients: sweet peppers, sunflower oil, and salt. Variations of ajvar include garlic, hot chili peppers to make hot ajvar, eggplant, vinegar, and more.

What distinguishes the average ajvar from the best is the highest quality natural ingredients, a good knowledge of the preparation process, and extensive experience in obtaining the right texture and taste through long cooking at a low temperature. This is precisely why these recipes are jealously guarded and passed down from generation to generation as a family treasure.

How to make ajvar

This ajvar recipe is based on my good Serbian friend Jelena's family recipe with a modern canning process following USDA canning guidelines. You don't need to can ajvar that will be consumed fairly quickly, you only need to refrigerate it. However, for proper long-term storage, ajvar needs to be canned.

Ingredients for this ajvar recipe

Make sure to use good-quality peppers and eggplant.

This recipe includes 20% eggplant, which improves the pepper spread's texture and flavor. Look for sweet, non-spicy bullhorn peppers. Specifically, try 'ajvar' peppers, also known as 'ajvarski' peppers. Ajvarski peppers are incredibly fragrant and tasty. When you throw half a dozen on your grill, everybody in your neighborhood will smell them. These peppers are traditionally used to make ajvar.

I highly recommend growing your own ajvarski peppers if you have a garden. You can get the seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Etsy, and other places.

If are not able to source bullhorn peppers, pick sweet red bell peppers.

Tip: choose flatter peppers; they are easier to roast.

Roasting peppers and eggplant

Rinse and dry your peppers and eggplant. Next, roast them until the skin is blackened and peeling away.

You have several options for roasting: on a grate over hot charcoal, which is the traditional way of doing it, on a gas grill or the stove, or in the oven under a broiler. I find the oven broiler method quicker and easier, so this is my preferred method. Broiling takes only about 7-8 minutes per side, but keep the vegetables as close to the heating element as possible.

Draining roasted vegetables

Roasted peppers and eggplant are traditionally placed in large bags similar to our onion bags and hung overnight to let the vegetables drain off excess liquid. This will make the boiling process shorter, a good thing, as it can take a while. You may also drain the vegetables in a colander or a strainer fitted over a bowl.

Tip: If you have one, a crawfish boil pot with a strainer basket works perfectly for larger batches.

Peeling and grinding

Remove the drained peppers and eggplant from the strainer basket, peel and remove cores, seeds, and stems.

Next, grind them through a medium plate of meat grinder, about 3/8" (4.5mm).

You can chop them finely with a knife if you don't have a meat grinder. However, you will get a smoother, more uniform consistency if you grind the vegetables.

Cooking ajvar

Cooking the ground peppers and eggplant aims to evaporate excess water and create a nice, thick spread. This is very similar to when you cook the fruit to make jam. As with making jam, it's best done in a wide, thick-bottomed pan. I like using my copper jam pan; it works exceptionally well.

Transfer the ground vegetables to the pan brushed with some sunflower oil. Add the remaining oil and lightly stir it in. Let the mass sit for 20 minutes and soak in some of the oil.

Next, bring the mass to a gentle simmer while constantly stirring. Depending on the amount of vegetables you are cooking, it may take up to three hours of simmering to get to the right consistency. A small batch, as written in the recipe below, will take about an hour or less. It also depends on how well the vegetables were drained before cooking.

Seasoning

Once ajvar is ready, it's time to season it with salt. Add enough salt to suit your taste. There is no right or wrong amount here, and no one can reasonably precisely tell you how much salt to add. This is because what you will end up with in the pot (the weight of ajvar) will vary from one cook to another, even if you start with the same amount of peppers. So, season your ajvar with salt, little by little, stir and taste. Continue until you get the desired taste.

Stir in two tablespoons of white vinegar. Many regional ajvar recipes include 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar per batch. Some traditional recipes use wine vinegar, but I prefer the neutral taste of white vinegar. Vinegar adds that bit of acidity that improves and balances out the taste. I think vinegar is essential in this recipe.

Canning ajvar

After seasoning, ajvar is ready for consumption. It will store in the fridge in a clean, sealed container for up to a month. However, if you want to preserve it longer, you must can it.

Fill clean (you don't need to sterilize them) pint or half-pint jars with ajvar leaving 1-inch head space. Remove any visible air pockets.

Wipe the rims and close with the lids finger-tight. Next, process the jars in a pressure canner according to the tables below.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Peppers in a dual-gauge pressure canner.

Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Half-Pints or Pints	35 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb

Table 2. Recommended process time for Peppers in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.

Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Half-Pints or Pints	35 min	10 lb	15 lb

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation - Selecting, Preparing and Canning Peppers.

I've encountered numerous traditional old-fashioned methods of canning ajvar. None of them follow the latest USDA's food safety guidelines. Despite people telling me they had been canning ajvar that way for generations and no one had ever got sick, I stick to what USDA advises. Below are the guidelines for canning peppers using those guidelines. Do not worry; the texture and consistency of ajvar will not d. I've tested that many times.

Storing ajvar spread

Store canned ajvar in a cool, dry, dark place. Properly canned and stored ajvar will keep fresh for well over a year. Once opened, refrigerate for up to a month.

Ajvar uses

Ajvar can be served as a dip/spread with bread or crackers for a delicious appetizer or a snack. Similarly, you serve it as a sauce alongside grilled or roasted meats and fish. Adding some ajvar to hummus makes it exceptionally tasty.

Another popular way to use ajvar is to use it as a sauce to make stuffed baked eggplant, peppers, and other vegetables. One of the great-tasting dishes with ajvar is roasted peppers stuffed with quinoa and ajvar. You may also serve ajvar with pasta instead of the traditional tomato sauce or make delicious ajvar risotto.