Zacuscă

Not to be confused with Zakuski.

Zacuscă

Zacuscă on bread
Origin
Place of origin	Romania
Details
Type	Spread
Main ingredient(s)	Eggplants or cooked beans, roasted red peppers (gogoşari cultivar)

Zacuscă (Romanian pronunciation: [zaˈkuskə]) is a vegetable spread popular in Romania. Similar spreads are found in other countries throughout, or bordering, the Balkans.

Ingredients

The main ingredients are roasted eggplant, sauteed onions, tomato paste, and roasted red peppers (Romanian pepper called gogoșari),. Some add mushrooms, carrots, or celery. Bay leaves are added as spice, as well as other ingredients (oil, salt, and pepper). Traditionally, a family will cook a large quantity of it after the fall harvest and preserve it through canning.

Usage

Zacuscă can be eaten as a relish or spread, typically on bread. It is said to improve in taste after some months of maturing but must be used within days of opening. Although traditionally prepared at home, it is also commercially available. Some Bulgarian and Middle Eastern brand-names are available in the United States.

Etymology

The word zacuscă is of Slavic origin which means simply "breakfast" or "appetizer" or "snack" (compare Russian: закуска compare Bulgarian: закуска, zakuska).

See also

• Ajvar and Pindjur, similar relishes in Balkan cuisine
• Lyutenitza, another similar relish in Balkan cuisine
• Biber salçası, a Turkish paste made from red peppers alone
• Meze
• List of eggplant dishes

External links

• Zacusca (recipe)