It can be said that the yummy ajvar is a favorite
traditional dish and a highlight of autumn that most people adore, especially
when it is warm and freshly prepared. How good it smells! It is known as an
ideal companion for cold winters and food that has no proper substitute, and in
combination with white cheese creates an indispensable and unique pleasure that
produces delicious sensations in the mouth!
Preparing ajvar is a laborious process, but the end product
is really worth the effort. Most of the foods in the households in Macedonia
are home-made, as home-made ajvar can really compete with the ones purchased in
the stores not only for taste but also for quality, abounds in rich tasty notes
and stands out for its traditional uniqueness.
First, beautiful red peppers are known as "kami"
because they have beautiful flat surfaces and feature thicker cut walls, making
them more suitable for further processing than thinner peppers.
Following is the home-made Ajvar recipe
Ingredients:
1 bag of red peppers (about 25-30 kg)
2 liters of oil
100 grams of sugar
about 50 ml of vinegar
salt to taste.
Preparation:
Peppers are washed, so it is advisable to remove the
bottles, as later peeling would be hampered by the numerous seeds we want to
remove to keep the ajvar clean.
So prepared peppers are pressed and when roasted they are
collected in a larger container with a lid. The purpose of the lid is to allow
for better and easier peeling.
Peeled peppers, cleansed of stale seeds and black peels, are
best left to stand for at least a few hours or left overnight in order to
obtain a longer-lasting and drier ajvar that will retain its flavor. If you are
not able to wait that long and need to proceed immediately with the processing,
there is a possibility to continue with the preparation because the residual
pepper water will evaporate when fried, with little difference in ajvar
consistency, it will be slightly shorter in flavor. compared to that obtained
from pressed peppers and of course it will have to be fried longer.
The ajvar frying begins by first mixing the oil, acid, sugar
and salt and simmering until the sugar is slightly browned, then add the
peppers and mix to combine the frying mixture.
Frying takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the amount of
peppers. It is interesting that you can easily learn when ajvar is ready. As
soon as you mix the ajvar you notice that there is a trail behind the spoon and
you can see the bottom of the pot, so the ajvar is ready.
Finished ajvar, while warm, folds into jars heated to 50 celsius
degrees and closes well.
Get a piece of white cheese, hot bread and the appetizing
fun can begin!
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