"Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Spread"
12 medium Eggplants
30 large red bell peppers
1 kg yellow onions (about 4 medium onions)
3 cloves garlic
2 cups oil
3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorn
3-4 tbsp kosher salt
Over a hot grill, cook the eggplants until tender. Once they are done, cool and remove the skins, set them into a colander and allow them to drain for at least 4 hours. Repeat with the red bell peppers, removing the skins and the seeds. Peel the onions and cut into quarters, then put in a pot of water and boil until they are tender. Rinse the onions and drain them in the colander as well.
In a food processor, process the eggplants, bell peppers, onions and garlic to your desired consistency. You can also chop the vegetables by hand if you prefer.
Place the oil and the vegetables in a large pot and simmer slowly. When the mixture is hot, add the bay leaves, peppercorn, salt (one tablespoon at a time, depending on your taste), and the tomato sauce.
Stir constantly while it is simmering, for about 3 hours. Once it is done, divide it into jars and place the jars, uncovered, on a baking sheet and into a 200 F oven, after about an hour, put the lid on each jar and turn off the oven. Return the jars to the oven for about another hour. Enjoy!
12 medium Eggplants
30 large red bell peppers
1 kg yellow onions (about 4 medium onions)
3 cloves garlic
2 cups oil
3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorn
3-4 tbsp kosher salt
Over a hot grill, cook the eggplants until tender. Once they are done, cool and remove the skins, set them into a colander and allow them to drain for at least 4 hours. Repeat with the red bell peppers, removing the skins and the seeds. Peel the onions and cut into quarters, then put in a pot of water and boil until they are tender. Rinse the onions and drain them in the colander as well.
In a food processor, process the eggplants, bell peppers, onions and garlic to your desired consistency. You can also chop the vegetables by hand if you prefer.
Place the oil and the vegetables in a large pot and simmer slowly. When the mixture is hot, add the bay leaves, peppercorn, salt (one tablespoon at a time, depending on your taste), and the tomato sauce.
Stir constantly while it is simmering, for about 3 hours. Once it is done, divide it into jars and place the jars, uncovered, on a baking sheet and into a 200 F oven, after about an hour, put the lid on each jar and turn off the oven. Return the jars to the oven for about another hour. Enjoy!
Rachel, you'll turn us all into domestic goddesses! I for one, can't wait!!! Thanks for this one, I'm thinking that it must be the right time for cooking up a batch of zacusca.
ReplyDeletelol, thank you Angie! I am thrilled to have started this blog and I honestly look forward to cooking now more than ever so I can take pictures and post the recipes!! :)
ReplyDeleteI went and got all my stuff ready for a day of zacusca making tomorrow. Can't wait until it is all done!
ReplyDeleteAngie, I should have added in the recipe that you can add more tomato sauce per your taste as well as more oil, depending on how you like it... Let me know how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel. I read your comment before I started and added a little extra tomato sauce. Last night I opened the first can and from the first bite it transported me back to my childhood. Simply delicious!
ReplyDeleteSam has been craving some zacusca lately, he had some at Abel's party last weekend and was hinting that I make some ;) I think I'll surprise him with a batch when he comes home from work one day! How many jars (and what size) do you think this recipe will fill?
ReplyDeleteFor me it made about 6 12-oz jars and 3 larger ones (some random ones I had saved throughout the year). You could easily half the recipe if it sounds like too much. That would be a nice surprise for him! Let me know how it turns out.
ReplyDelete