Every autumn, when the markets are piled with eggplants and fat red peppers, Romanian kitchens fill with the smell of vegetables blistering over open flames. The peppers and eggplants are roasted until black, peeled, chopped and cooked slowly with onions, tomato and a generous amount of sunflower oil until the mixture turns thick, glossy and sweet. The result is zacuscă, which is spooned into jars and lined up in pantries to see the family through the winter.

It is eaten simply, spread thickly on bread, as a starter, a snack or a light supper, and because it contains no meat, eggs or dairy it is a mainstay of the Orthodox fasting periods. Romanians are quietly convinced that their grandmother's jar is the best, and they have a point: the long, patient cooking is what gives it depth. This version makes a manageable home batch for the fridge rather than a cellar full, but it keeps the same slow method.

The roasted vegetables

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) eggplants
• 2 lb (900 g) red peppers

Method

1. Heat the broiler to high with a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below it. Prick each eggplant a few times with a knife so it does not burst. Lay the eggplants and peppers on foil lined baking sheets and broil, turning them every 5 to 7 minutes with the tongs, for 25 to 35 minutes in all. Peppers will be ready first. On a gas burner or grill, cook them directly over the flame, turning often.
2. Put the hot peppers in the large bowl and cover it so they steam for 15 minutes. Lay the eggplants on the board, split them open lengthwise, and scoop the soft flesh into the colander with a spoon, leaving the skin behind. Leave the eggplant to drain for 20 minutes. Peel the peppers, pull out the stems and seeds, and do not rinse them, or you will wash away the smoky flavor.
3. Chop the peppers and eggplant finely with the knife, or pulse each separately in the food processor in short bursts. Keep some texture; they should not become a smooth purée.

Slow cooking

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) sunflower oil
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) tomato passata
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Method

1. Heat the oil in the heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until very soft. Do not let them brown.
2. Add the chopped peppers and cook for 10 minutes, stirring, so some of their liquid evaporates.
3. Stir in the drained eggplant, then the passata, bay leaves, black pepper, the rest of the salt and the sugar if using. Bring to a gentle bubble, then turn the heat to low.
4. Cook uncovered on low heat for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so and more often towards the end, scraping the bottom of the pot each time. Partly cover the pot if it spits. Taste and add salt if needed, then remove the bay leaves.
5. Spoon the hot zacuscă into clean jars, leave them open until cool, then close the lids and refrigerate. Its flavor deepens after a day or two.

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