Bulgarian Ljutenitsa

An idea for a recipe

When I was in Bulgaria, I wondered what was worth a try. I heard that there was a very good spread for sandwiches, which could also be used differently, called Ljutenitsa.

After having bought the first jar in a Bulgarian shop, I couldn't stop eating it and the three of us were delighted by the taste. We even ate it with a spoon straight from the jar because it tasted so good. We also tries another type of Ljutenitsa and it was tasty as well, it just had a different consistency. There were other choices with extra ingredients in the shop, and the prices were from one to two Bulgarian leva and a half, depending on the size of the jar. We told ourselves that, when we got back home, we would have to try to cook it. The recipe is not complicated and the taste is just sensational.

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What is Ljutenitsa?

Before starting to prepare this meal at home (although this isn't a proper meal) I had to know what I was actually eating. Of course, some of the ingredients had been sensed right away when eating it, but not all.

You can find the ingredients in Bulgaria, of course, but it is also a well known and common recipe in the Balkans. I had not realized that, a year before, I had eaten something similar called Ajvar. With the same ingredients used for Ljutenitsa you can also make Pindjur.

It turns out that these two spreads (Ljutenitsa and Ajvar) are very similar. With a different quantity of the products and different proportions, you may probably want to make some Ljutenitsa-Ajvar. I think that this should not be a problem. Will someone taste the difference? I doubt it. I think only Balkan people will be able to tell. But it does not matter, what is important is to try.

Apparently it is best to make Ljutenitsa on the stove, but it does not mean that one cannot do it in the oven.

I admit that it was not easy to choose a recipe because I couldn't find two similar ones, which was very annoying for someone who had never cooked this before. As a general rule, I have no problem to improvise in the kitchen, and I would say that I am pretty good at it. But, when I do something for the first time, I follow the recipe in order to know how it should taste. Then I taste and analyse the dish so I can later change and refine the recipe.

Important information

It is important to keep in mind that Ljutenitsa is slightly sweet and dense. You do not have to try to obtain a smooth sauce because it can have small pieces of vegetables in it.

As I mentioned, I looked at several different recipes and changed them in terms of proportions. Moreover, I did not want to make an unpredictable amount of servings because I didn't have space for it. So, I made a serving of two jars of 200 grams (if I remember correctly).

Ingredients:

• 4 red sweet peppers. I chose large peppers: 3 normal and 1 sweet, pointed pepper, which is sweeter and is different in shape;
• 1 eggplant. It should be of medium size because you have to take into account the other vegetables. Eggplant cannot dominate the taste because, otherwise, we would get a different dish;
• 1 large carrot;
• 1 red chilli pepper. I decided to choose a small one because I do not like very spicy dishes;
• 2 tomatoes. In Poland I would say that raspberry tomatoes are the best ones, but in the UK there are not such tomatoes, so just buy two regular tomatoes;
• 1/2 onions;
• 1 garlic head;
• 125ml of tomato concentrate. You can use tomato passata, but I honestly think that nothing can replace our tomato concentrate;
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar;
• A hint of sweet paprika powder. It should be less than 1/2 a teaspoon;
• A hint of crisp paprika powder. It should be less than 1/2 a teaspoon;
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
• *Optional salt, fennel, cumin. In my case it was a mixture of Bulgarian spices, but it won't be easy for you to find it.

Preparation:

1. First you have to put the tomatoes in hot water, preferably boiling water so it will be easier to peel. Also, it is better to buy very mature tomatoes. Afterwards, dice them into bits, neither too small nor too large. Then, boil the tomatoes. Depending on the amount of tomatoes, it can take 15-20 minutes. Then turn off the heat because they have to cool down. In the meantime turn on the oven at 200ºC.
2. Put a baking sheet on the tray. If you don't have a baking sheet, you can use foil. The point is that later you will have to remove it. Set the tray aside. Remove the seeds of the sweet peppers and halve the peppers lengthwise from stem to bottom. Peel the carrot and halve it.



3. When it comes to the onions and garlic, there are two methods: you can put them together with the other vegetables on the tray and bake everything together; or you can chop them finely, add a little bit of olive oil to brown them in a pan, and then only afterwards add them to the other vegetables in the oven. I think it's a waste of time, so I suggest that you wash all the vegetables described in the above ingredient list (except the tomatoes), dry and peel them, and then put them in the oven. They should stay for about 20 minutes, maybe 25. Be careful not to put too much garlic and onions. Keep an eye on the oven. If you want, you can turn the vegetables over, so both sides will be well cooked eavenly.
4. Now you are going to remove the vegetables from the oven. This step was new for me. You have to put the peppers into some tight bag (it can be something other than a bag). The eggplant can be cooked a little more so it can be easily mashed. Let the vegetables sit for 10 minutes.
5. When the 10 minutes are over, remove the peppers from the bag. The idea is that it will be easier to peel the pepper due to the steam inside the bag. You cannot eat them with the peel! Halve the eggplant, and be careful not to get burnt by the hot water it contains. The peel should be discarded.
6. When peeling the vegetables, you have two options: you can cut them into small pieces; or you can bake them and make a smooth sauce. In my opinion, I think it tastes better with the pieces of vegetables.
7. The next step is to heat a pot with olive oil, add the vegetables, tomatoes, the concentrate, and fry it for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
8. This is the best moment to add all the spices. Add the sugar to balance the flavors. Add the other spices as you please.
9. Remove the sauce from the pot and put it in the jar. Close the jar and turn it over.

Tips:

It takes about an hour to prepare everything. It depends on how fast you follow the steps and on the efficiency of your oven. Remember that when the vegetables are in the oven, you can do something else in the meantime. The hardest step for me was to peel the peppers, because they were still warm. You should not wait for the peppers to cool, otherwise it would be hard to remove the peel. Remember that you must peel all the vegetables.

Do not use a blender. Cut all the vegetables by hand, the taste is better.

You can use Ljutenitsa in your salad, for example, but it is definitely better in a sandwich. Also, pay attention to the consistency of the Ljutenitsa: it should not be too dense nor too thin.

How to serve Ljutenitsa:

You can eat Ljutenitsa with a spoon straight from the jar. I recommend also to eat it with fresh bread (I make bread myself, so I will try to write the recipe for you as it's quite easy). You can also eat it with meat. If you run out of ideas, use Ljutenitsa as a sauce for pasta or rice. There are really a lot of options here.

My partner and I loved it. The taste is sweet but a little spicy because of the chili peppers. The consistency was dense and you could feel the vegetables, which is really interesting. I find it worth trying.

I have not found Ljutenitsa here in England yet, but I know that in Poland there is Ajvar (probably in Lidl or in Carrefour).

I really recommend this recipe, the smell and the taste are amazing.

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