Ajvarski Pepper Spread

Every country has a wonderful list of comfort foods that taste better with cold weather. In many parts of Europe a spread is put up for winter that appeals to many people's taste buds. It is usually made with red sweet peppers but don't limit yourself, use any organic non-gmo sweet pepper you have-go nuts.

In Balkan cuisine, the Roge pepper along with eggplant star in the most unforgettable Ajvar smokey spread you've ever tasted. Pronounced AY-vahr, this preserve is also eaten in Italy, where they use the corno di toro, and other pointed peppers; It's eaten in Macedonia also, where they use what is called the Ajvarski pepper. It too is a blocky, but pointed, "horn" pepper. It is a fragrant pepper that `fills your backyard BBQ days with an enticing aroma. In Macedonia, ajvar is eaten with a cheese called sirenje, on bread, all winter long. Sirenje is a brined cheese that is like feta, and used to be made with goats milk, now it can be made of any combo of goat, sheep or cow's milk, or just one of them.

A warm slice of non-gmo wheat-free bread with a sweet and savory pepper delight sounds wonderful; I will update a recipe soon when I have perfected my own version. Happy reading.