Name: Smoky ajvar crostini
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 large red peppers; 2 large red Romano peppers; 85ml olive oil; 4 fat garlic cloves crushed to a paste, plus 1 whole clove for the crostini; 1 tsp smoked paprika plus a pinch; 1 lemon zested to make 1 tsp, plus juiced to make 1 tbsp; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1½ tsp smoked salt; pinch of sugar; 1 large sourdough baguette; 150g feta or beli sir cheese; 1 tbsp parsley very finely chopped

A plate of smoky ajvar crostini sprinkled with herbs

4 large red peppers
2 large red Romano peppers
85ml olive oil
4 fat garlic cloves
crushed to a paste, plus 1 whole clove for the crostini
1 tsp smoked paprika
plus a pinch
1 lemon
zested to make 1 tsp, plus juiced to make 1 tbsp
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1½ tsp smoked salt
pinch of sugar
1 large sourdough baguette
150g feta or beli sir cheese
1 tbsp parsley
very finely chopped

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Liberally brush the peppers with oil, put onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 mins or until blackened on the outside and soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle. Alternatively, you can blacken the peppers over the flame of a gas hob for 5 mins, then bake for 20 mins. Carefully peel and deseed.
step 2
Put the pepper flesh into a blender and blitz for 30 seconds to a course paste or, alternatively, finely chop with a knife. Tip the pepper paste into a pan along with the oil, garlic, paprika and lemon zest. Stew over a medium heat for 25-30 mins, stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch, until it’s a thick jammy texture, similar to tomato purée.
step 3
Stir through the lemon juice, vinegar, smoked salt and sugar. Mix well, then leave to cool completely in the pan – it will steam and thicken as it cools. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or sugar if needed.
step 4
Slice the baguette on the diagonal into rounds. Toast until brown, rub with a garlic clove, then spread over a thick layer of the ajvar. Crumble over the cheese, then garnish with parsley and a pinch of paprika.