Romanian Zacusca

"A traditional vegetable spread found in Romania (probably in other neighboring countries as well). It is delicious on crust bread or even as a topping on rice for a quickie vegetarian meal. It is also excellent as a sandwich spread. This recipe is for a large batch intended for canning. You can cut it back if you want a smaller batch for immediate consumption."
 
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photo by elefantegps photo by elefantegps
photo by elefantegps
Ready In:
1hr
Ingredients:
7
Yields:
10-12 jars
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ingredients

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directions

  • Over an open flame (gas stove or grill) completely blacken the skins of the eggplants and peppers.
  • Peel skins off immediately. Easiest way to get the last bits off is to do it under a slow running faucet.
  • Puree each of the three vegetables separately in a food processor. And place each in a separate bowl when you are finished.
  • Place oil and onion in a large pot.
  • Saute onions for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat.
  • Add eggplant, onion, salt and pepper.
  • Cook until a thin layer of oil remains on top and when a spoonful of zacusca is removed, only the oil should run off the spoon, not the zacusca.
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper to meet your tastes.
  • Spoon mixture into sterilized jars of your choosing. It is easiest if they are all the same size.
  • Wipe rims clean and place clean lids and rings on jars.
  • Place into a single layer in large pot (water bath canner if you have one).
  • Fill pot with water up to the necks of the jars. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool in water bath.
  • When cool remove from water and you are ready to go. If oil separates just mix it back in when ready to serve.
  • NOTE: My original Romanian recipe calls for a full Liter of oil but results in a much heavier and oilier zacusca. I cut mine back substantially from the original.

Questions & Replies

  1. Please someone explain to me the missing steps of recipe I want to know how I cook the carrots and eggplant do I add to oil and sauté it all in a large pot or do I boil them then drain and add? Also Can I grill the eggplant I don’t have open flame ? Thanks guys Tia
     
  2. Please can someone pls tell me how I finish this recipe what I do with carrots ?? and eggplant ?? when I’ve diced them do I sauté them with the onion and oil or boil them then drain??? I need to know :( I also don’t have access to an open flame but can I grill the eggplant? Pls help I’m trying to impress my Romanian Partner :) ?? thanks Tia
     
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Reviews

  1. ****One word of caution, I would make the waterbath canning process more accurate by completely covering the jars by 2 inches of water during the water bath process. That's the saftest method of water bath canning.*****<br/><br/>Although the recipe is a bit hard to follow and missing a few steps, I managed to figure it out and boy am I glad I did! This is delicious! I couldn't stop licking the spoon. :-)<br/>To complete the directions, once you soften the opnions in the oil, add everything else in, including the tomato paste. They forgot to write that. I also left the onions in chopped form and choose not to puree them as I like some texture.<br/>This recipe will be delicious in pasta, layered with roasted vegetables, as a dip, on crusty bread. This recipe made 11 pints.
     
  2. In my opinion, some of your directions could be improved. First of all, flame grilling the aubergines and peppers adds all that flavour that our zacusca is famous for. Of course, a lot of Romanian households use the oven method, but that doesn't make it right. Also, the cooking time is no way that short. If you can make a zacusca from scratch in 2 hours, you probably did something wrong. And I have to agree with what one of the other users did by finely chopping everything rather than putting them through the food processor.
     
  3. Thank you for the recipe Callu. I made this recipe but I just chopped the vegetables instead of passing then through a food processor and also added a little bit of white vinegar and some bay leaves.
     
  4. I've made it with whole peppercorns too and I sometimes add white beans, which I like coz it makes the zacusca sweeter.
     
  5. From: carla, (chicago) i had the recipe sitting on my desk top from the first time dr. Bonta brought in this tastie delight. It truly made my taste buds sing. The reason it sat so long on my computer at work was because, the recipe seemed so intemidating, but after missing my favorite doctor and her fresh bread and "zacusca, I decided to tackle it for the first time, because callu makes it seem so easy and it sounds just like my romanian, dr. Bonta's recipe with some variations.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Thank you for the recipe Callu. I made this recipe but I just chopped the vegetables instead of passing then through a food processor and also added a little bit of white vinegar and some bay leaves.
     
  2. This is almost exactly like the zacusca that my "mother in law" makes. The only real differences are that she uses whole peppercorns instead of ground pepper and will also make varieties with beans or mushrooms instead of eggplant (she even makes it with fish but i've never had the nerve to try it.) I made a very small batch just to try this out but I will do it again when its fall and the eggplant and gogosari and in season. Much less greasy than the average zacusca.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I have lived all over the world and love spending time with grandma's in their kitchens. I now live in remote Alaska and love every minute of it. I am married with two outrageous little girls and I have a catering business on the side. I love to can food (and would love to see more canning recipes) In the summer we make all kinds of smoked and dried salmon. Winters we like to make assorted sausages and jerkys. If it can be pickled, brined brewed or smoked I am all ears!
 
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