Romanian Vegetable Spread
Zacuscă is the winter pantry of every Romanian household — a dense spread of roasted aubergine and peppers, simmered at length with onion and tomato until it sets into a deep, lightly smoky flavour. It is made in autumn, often as a family, in a big cauldron outdoors, when the markets are full of roasting peppers; the jars then lined up in the larder are a kind of reassurance for the cold months. From one house to the next there are variations — zacuscă with mushrooms or with beans — but the aubergine-and-pepper base stays the best loved. Balkan in origin, the name comes from a Slavic word for a snack, and that is exactly how it is eaten: spread on a slice of homemade bread, plain and filling. Patience in the simmering and the oil rising to the top are the signs of a zacuscă done right.
Roasted over fire
The char on the aubergine is the whole flavour
Naturally vegan
Just vegetables, oil and patience
Made for canning
A winter pantry in a jar
Ingredients 12 servings
- 2kg aubergines (eggplant)
- 1kg red peppers (or roasting peppers)
- 500g onion, finely chopped
- 500g tomato passata
- 320ml oil
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make it
- 1Roast the aubergines and peppers on the stovetop, over coals or in the oven until the skins blacken and lift, then peel and chop them finely — or pass them through a mincer for a smoother spread.
- 2Soften the chopped onion in the oil over low heat until soft and sweet.
- 3Add the roasted vegetables and the passata, drop in the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and simmer over low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring often with a wooden spoon so it does not catch.
- 4The zacuscă is ready when the oil rises to the surface and the mixture no longer weeps liquid.
- 5Spoon it hot into sterilised jars and seal; for long keeping, process the jars in a water bath.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
