The Zacusca recipe is the most popular Romanian spread made with roasted eggplants and red peppers (also known as gogosari).
If you ever decide to visit Romania, you will definitely eat zacusca. It may not be in a restaurant, but if you happen to eat at somebody's house, they will probably have a few jars of zakuska waiting somewhere in the corner.
Just like vinete - eggplant salad, mici - grilled sausages, sarmale -cabbage rolls or papanasi - fried cheese doughnuts, zacusca is one of the best-known Romanian foods.
So what is zacusca? It is basically a bread spread made every autumn by women all over the country.
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Ingredients
Vegetables: The main ingredients are red peppers (gogosari) and eggplants, which fill the markets there in autumn. There are mountains and mountains of gorgeous eggplants, gogosari, and other vegetables. My grandmother used to buy 10 โ 20 kilograms of each and then spend a few days "burning" them on the stove, peeling them, cooking them, and then preserving the jars.
- Gogosar (link opens in a new tab) is a kind of Romanian red pepper that is sweeter and thicker than the usual red peppers.
- As I cannot even find a translation of the word and as I have never ever seen gogosari outside Romania, I can assure you now that zacusca can be made with normal red bell peppers.
Tomato puree: You will also need tomato puree - simply pureed tomatoes with no added salt, sugar, or anything else - not tomato paste or tomato sauce.
Oil: Neutral-tasting oil, either canola or a mild-tasting sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is traditional, but make sure it is a mild sort. Don't use olive oil.
Spices: Salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and some honey. The amount of honey you use will depend on how acidic the tomato puree is; some cans are more acidic than others, so taste and decide accordingly.
The result is the BEST vegetarian/vegan bread spread you have ever tasted. You can make a lot of it and then preserve the jars, so you can enjoy it for quite a long time.
Prepare eggplants and peppers for zacusca
Grilling method
Grill the eggplants and gogosari or red peppers on a hot grill until the skins blacken all over and the eggplants and peppers are very soft.
See this post for Vinete โ Roasted Eggplant Salad for more information on preparing eggplants to make zacusca or vinete.
Depending on their size, you should grill the eggplants for 20 to 40 minutes or until the skin is evenly charred and the eggplant collapses; the flesh should be really soft.
The peppers will be faster to cook, keep them on the grill, turning often, until the skin blisters and has dark spots.
Stovetop method
This method can only be used if you have gas burners. If you cook the vegetables on the stovetop, cover the stove's surface with aluminum foil to protect it.
Prick the eggplants all over with a fork.
"Burn" the eggplants and the red peppers directly on the flame, turning often with tongs. Burning a medium eggplant takes about 10-15 minutes. The cooking time for the peppers is even shorter.
Oven method
This is the easiest method.
Place the vegetables on baking trays lined with parchment paper and place them in the hot oven at 200ยฐC/400ยฐF for about 20-30 minutes for the bell peppers and about 40 minutes for the eggplants, turning the veggies about 3 times in the meantime.
Make sure that the vegetables are really soft (especially the eggplants) before removing them from the oven.
Peel eggplants and peppers
Cool: Cover the veggies with plastic wrap. This procedure makes the peeling afterward easier. Let the vegetables cool separately.
Peel carefully and chop very roughly.
Drain: Discard the juices released by the eggplants, but keep the juices released by the pepper. Place the eggplants in a large sieve and let drain well for about 1 hour. Place the peppers in another container to cool, but reserve the juices they release during this time.
How to make zacusca?
- Step #1: Chop the onions. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until translucent.
- Step #2: Add the roughly chopped eggplants and red bell peppers, pureed tomatoes, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Add water and the juices released by the peppers; the mixtures should not be too dry.
- Step #3: Cook everything on a very low flame for about 1 ยฝ hours, stirring regularly.
- Step #4: Adjust the taste with salt and honey. Depending on how sweet the peppers and tomatoes were, you might need a bit more honey.
- Step #5: Puree the vegetables roughly (there should still be small bits in the zacusca; it should not turn into a paste) with a hand-held mixer.
- Step #6: Pour everything into the jars and close them with the lids and can the jars.
How to can eggplant spread?
Sterilize your jars while your vegetables are cooking. I normally place the jars and their lids in a big pan filled with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the jars and the lids for about 5 minutes. Take the jars and lids out and let drain on a clean kitchen towel. Check out the post Apricot Jam to find more information on sterilizing jars.
Can the jars in a water bath canner.
Can the jars in a pot: I use the same huge, flat pot for preserving the jars that I use for sterilizing them. Place a folded kitchen towel on the bottom of the pot. Place the jars on the towel, taking care that they don't touch each other. Then, pour enough hot water to cover the jars. Let everything come to a boil again, then simmer the jars for 20 to 25 minutes.
Take the jars out of the water immediately (with a jar lifter and wearing mitts) and let cool at room temperature.
Store zacusca: Keep the jars on shelves in the cellar or in a cooler room.
How to serve it?
- The most common way to serve zacusca is as a bread spread. We eat it for breakfast or dinner; I make sandwiches for work or school.
- It can also be eaten as a dip or with noodles like a normal pasta sauce. It can enrich the taste of other sauces.
- You can mix a few tablespoons of it with sour cream or cream cheese and eat it over baked potatoes.
- You can serve it as a side dish for grilled sausages like cevapcici. This recipe is very similar to Ajvar, which is always served as a side dish for cevapcici.
Zacusca Recipe - Romanian Eggplant Spread
Equipment
- Very large pot
- Jar lifter
- Mitts
- Jars
Ingredients
- 4 medium aubergines
- 6 large red bell peppers
- 2 large onions
- 120 ml vegetable oil ยฝ cup, Note 2
- 500 g pureed tomatoes 2 ยผ cups , Note 1
- 20 black peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons honey more to taste
- 1ยฝ-2 tablespoons fine sea salt more or less to taste
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables (3 methods):
- Grill the eggplants on a hot grill until their skin blackens all over and they are very soft. Grill the bell peppers until their skin blisters and blackens.4 medium aubergines + 6 large red bell peppers
- Stovetop method (only possible if you have gas burners). Cover the stove's surface with aluminum foil to protect it. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork. "Burn" the eggplants and the red peppers directly on the flame, turning often with tongs. Burning a medium eggplant takes about 10-15 minutes. The cooking time for the peppers is even shorter.
- Oven method: Place the vegetables on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and place them in the hot oven at 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC for about 20-30 minutes for the bell peppers and about 40 minutes for the eggplants, turning the veggies about 3 times in the meantime. Don't take them out before they are really soft.
- Cool vegetables: Once cooked, cover the vegetables with plastic foil. This procedure makes the peeling easier. Let them cool completely.
- Peel carefully, removing the seeds from the peppers as well, chop very roughly, and keep them separated.
- Drain vegetables: Place the eggplants in a sieve and let drain well for 1 or 2 hours. Let the peppers stand in another bowl and make sure to reserve the juices they release.
Cook zacusca:
- Cook onions: Chop the onions. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until translucent.2 large onions + 120 ml vegetable oil/ ยฝ cup
- Add the roughly chopped eggplants and red bell peppers, pureed tomatoes, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt. Add about 300 ml/ 1 ยฝ cups water and the released juices from the peppers as well; the mixtures should not be too dry.300 ml/ 1 ยฝ cups water + 500 g pureed tomatoes/ 2ยผ + 20 black peppercorns + 4 bay leaves
- Cook everything on a very low flame for about 1 ยฝ hours, stirring regularly.
- Adjust the taste with salt and honey. You might need a bit more honey, depending on how sweet the peppers and the tomatoes were.1ยฝ-2 tablespoons fine sea salt + 2 teaspoons honey
- Blend the vegetables roughly (there should still be small bits in the zacusca; it should not turn into a paste) with a hand-held mixer.
Can zacusca:
- Sterilize your jars while the spread is cooking.
- Canner: Pour everything into the jars, close with the lids, and can in a water bath canner for 20-25 minutes.
- Can without a canner: Place a folded kitchen towel on the bottom of a large pot. Put the jars on the towel making sure they don't touch each other, then pour enough hot water to cover them. Let everything come to a boil again, then boil the jars for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the water immediately (using a jar lifter and mitts) and let cool at room temperature.
- Store: Keep the jars on shelves in the cellar or a colder room.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Simple, pureed tomatoes with no sugar or salt added. Not tomato paste/concentrate or tomato sauce.
- Neutral-tasting oil like canola or mild sunflower oil. Not olive olive.
Lily says
Hi Adina!
I was looking up what the heck โpimentoโ is. You know, that stuff they put in olives. Turns out, pimento (or pimiento) is gogosari! If you Google the word pimiento it pops up, and if thatโs not a gogosar, I donโt know what is. My local farm has gogosari, and they actually label it as such because of a Romanian family who came in and saw them. Apparently, they were super excited to inform the owner that these are gogosari and now that is the label they have. Anyway, Iโm really only sharing because my pimiento quest led me to gogosari, and then to your wonderful recipe for zacusca. I canโt wait to make it. And now that I see you are Romanian too, I am going to see if you have a recipe for musaca! ๐
Adina says
Hi Lily. So nice to read your comment. I've just googled myself, indeed pimientos look like gogosari, the ones I know are just knobblier, but they are sweet and succulent just like the description offered by Wikipedia for pimiento. I think you will love zacusca, I honestly don't know anybody who doesn't like it, either Romanian or not. Even the kids love it, despite the eggplants in it. ๐ And I do have a recipe for musaca as well, my grandmother's, the Romanian musaca made only with potatoes and ground meat. I hope you found it.
Kim Hurren says
Unfortunately this is not safe to water bath process and even your instructions for water bath processing are not safe. The water needs to completely cover the jars. The ingredients in this sauce are low acid so not safe for this type of processing and are at risk for developing botulism
Adina says
Well, then don't do it, it is entirely up to you. I have been making it so for over 15 years now and generations of women have done it like this for many years before me. My grandma didn't even have lids, she would seal the jars with some kind of thicker plastic foil.
Christie says
Sheepnose pimento peppers are the actual name for "gogosari". I've seen them more often in the past years in the farmer markets (in Toronto area).
Adina says
Good to know, thank you. The name is new to me. I wish I had access to gogosari again.
Andra says
Hi guys, just wanted to share with you that you could also find gogosari under the name of tomato peppers...! Living in Montreal and being able to find those in the local markets sometimes, not always, and of course only in the fall...Cheers! Andra
Adina says
Hi Andra. Thank you for the information, I hope it will help some people. Unfortunatelly I am too far away, I wish I could find some here. ๐
Ana says
We always make 3 typs of zacusca. The one with eggplants, with beans and with mushrooms. They taste differently but I like all of them ๐
We also make it in autumn, and multiple jars of each so this is a weekend activity for the whole family in the garden, it is sort of a tradition.
Adina says
Hi Ana, zacusca is the best. I make it with some added mushrooms as well sometimes, but not too many jars because my children hate mushrooms and otherwise they love zacusca and I don't want to spoil it for them. ๐ I have made it with beans once and found it delicious, but I had the bad experience of all my 5 or 6 jars going completely bad in the cellar in less than 2 weeks. A catastrophy, the bean zacusca even started to ooze out of the jar.... ๐ Do you have a recipe for bean zacusca that keeps well in jars? Or do you only makes as much as you can eat in a short period of time?
Adelina says
You forgot about ghebe. That's the real deal. Zacuscฤ de ghebe.
Adina says
I've never had that, I have heard of those mushrooms but never even saw them myself. My grandmother's biggest fear when I was growing up was dying poisoned by the wrong mushrooms, so we never had mushrooms in any form. But the classic zacusca is made with eggplants and peppers, the rest are variations.
Colleen Ann Swain says
Just visited Romania so was looking for the Zacusca r and Cherry Brandy recipes.
Adina says
Hi Colleen. Everybody seems to be impressed with zacusca when in Romania. ๐ ๐ I make it several times every year and about half the jars I make I have to give to some person or another, after having it once, they all ask me for another jar. I have never made the cherry brandy - visinata - myself because I would need sour cherries for that and I was never able to buy or pick them here. Too bad, it is so good!
Steliana says
Hello Adina - My family, as yours, has been making it for as long as I can remember. We now live in NY and we tried hard to find gogosari.... and we did. I am not sure if you found them since your posting but I just wanted to share that they are called Hungarian Cheese Peppers. In NY, we came across one farm that had them and what's even better was that it was a pick-your own farm so my mother and I went and it was a glorious day. We had a blast picking kilos and kilos of peppers to make zacusca and what sweetened the deal was that this farm also had gogonele which my father likes to pickle every year as well so double win! Thanks for your post. I enjoyed seeing a alternate version of the recipe.
Adina says
Hi Steliana.You are so lucky to have found gogosari. I live in Germany and I have never seen them here. But I am able to get gogonele once or twice in autumn , so at least that's something.? Red bell peppers make a decent substitute though.
Mircea says
Hi Steliana. Iโm very glad to find out that we can find gogoศari and gogonele. I also live in NY, recently moving upstate from the city.
Would you mind sharing the name of the farm where you found them?
Thanks!
Kim says
This looks and sounds incredible, Adina. Since I don't eat bread very often I would love to try it on chicken or a nice milk white fish. What do you think? Thanks!
Adina says
I am sure it would go well. Or maybe have as dip for veggies or on one of your wonderful low-carb breads.
Sissi says
It looks fantastic! And reminds me of the Serbian ajvar I made several times and loved (I always added some roasted chilli peppers for a hot kick!). I think zakuska means "appetiser"/snack" in Russian... I wonder if it's a coincidence or the origin of the name (Romanian isn't a slavic language after all....)
Anca says
Zacusca ๐ I think it's been an year since we had zacusca. I'm not keen on the shop-bought one, it's not the same as the homemade one. I should surprise my husband with a couple of jars of zacusca, he likes it.
Kathleen says
Hi Adina,
I am so happy to see this recipe! My husband and I traveled to Romania this summer and once I tried zacusca, I ordered it with almost every meal. I even bought some jarred zacusca at the supermarket before we left (definitely not the same!). SO excited to try this--thank you!
Kathleen ๐
Adina says
Hi Kathleen. I do hope you try to make zacusca, we all love it so much and it is definitely better than the bought jars. Let me know. ๐