These traditional roasted pepper, eggplant, and tomato spreads are packed with rich, savory goodness and perfect for elevating your soups, breads, and roasted dishes. Made without preservatives and easy to prepare, these timeless recipes bring warmth and comfort straight from your kitchen to the table.
Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Spread
Ingredients:
6.6 lbs roasted red peppers (skin peeled and seeds removed)
2.2 lbs roasted eggplants (skin peeled and seeds removed)
Roast the peppers and eggplants in the oven, then peel and remove seeds. Grind them together into a smooth mixture using a meat grinder or food processor.
Add:
- 1–2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 small hot chili pepper
- About 3–4 tablespoons vinegar (I use spirit vinegar)
- ¾ to 1 cup oil (depending on how oily the peppers are, add oil gradually until the mixture absorbs it)
- A pinch of black pepper
- About 2 handfuls of salt
I usually make much larger batches, but this is the basic ratio my grandmother taught me a few years ago.
Cook the mixture in the largest pot you have (often two very large pots for big batches), stirring very frequently over very low heat for at least 2 hours until thickened.
Tomato Spread
Ingredients:
- About 8 ¾ lbs fresh tomatoes (roughly 16 medium tomatoes), peeled and finely chopped
- 4 large onions, diced
- 1 to 2 green bell peppers, ground or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- A pinch of ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste
Peel and finely chop the tomatoes. Add diced onions and green peppers (ground or finely chopped). Cook the mixture over medium heat. When the mixture is halfway cooked down, add salt to taste. Continue cooking until thickened. Then stir in ground cinnamon and vinegar.
Once cooled, pour into small jars, cover with plastic wrap, and store in a cool place. This spread is great with hot or cold meats and works well as an addition to sauces and soups.
