This delicious sauce recipe is a perfect combination of roasted vegetables, spices, and a touch of heat from chili and cayenne peppers. It’s the kind of versatile sauce you can enjoy on its own, as a dip, or mixed into your favorite dishes, from pastas to stews. The depth of flavors from the slow-cooked tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers make it irresistible—no wonder your mom says even 100 jars won’t be enough!
Ingredients:
- 4 kg (8.8 lbs) tomatoes
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) eggplant
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) onion
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) peppers (sweet peppers or a mix of varieties)
- 2 heads garlic
- 300 g (10.5 oz) bell peppers
- 4 red chili peppers
- 4 cayenne peppers
- ½ bunch parsley
- 20 g (2 tbsp) sugar
- 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 32 g (2 tbsp) salt
Method of Preparation:
1. Roast the Vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F).
- Wash the tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Remove the seeds and stems from the peppers.
- Line a large baking dish with parchment paper and place the eggplants and peppers (both bell and sweet peppers) on it.
- Prick the eggplants with a fork in several places to help them cook evenly.
- Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until they are completely soft.
- Once done, remove the vegetables from the oven and transfer them to a large pot. Cover the pot with a lid and let the vegetables cool, allowing the skins to loosen.
2. Prepare the Garlic:
- While the vegetables are cooling, peel 2 heads of garlic.
- To make peeling easier, chop the garlic cloves, place them in a small bowl, and cover them with water. Let them soak for 10 minutes, then peel and finely chop the garlic.
3. Cook the Onions:
- Peel and dice 1 kg of onions.
- In a deep pot, heat 200 ml of vegetable oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the Tomatoes:
- Peel the 4 kg of tomatoes (the roasting process should make peeling easier).
- Dice the tomatoes and add them to the pot with the onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and the sauce begins to thicken, about 20-30 minutes.
5. Process the Roasted Vegetables:
- Once the eggplants and peppers have cooled, peel them. The skins should come off easily after roasting.
- Cut the peeled eggplants into cubes and the peppers into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
6. Blend the Peppers:
- Wash and remove the seeds from the red chili peppers and cayenne peppers. Cut them into pieces.
- In a blender or food processor, blend the chili peppers, cayenne peppers, and 300 g of bell peppers until smooth.
7. Combine the Ingredients:
- Add the blended pepper mixture to the pot with the tomatoes and onions.
- Stir in the cubed eggplants, roasted peppers, and finely chopped garlic. Mix everything well.
8. Season the Sauce:
- Wash and chop ½ bunch of parsley, then add it to the pot.
- Season the sauce with 20 g of sugar and 32 g of salt. Stir to combine.
- Let the sauce simmer over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together.
9. Jar the Sauce:
- Once the sauce has finished cooking, remove it from the heat.
- Pour the hot sauce into clean, sterilized jars. Make sure to leave a small amount of space at the top of each jar.
- Close the jars with clean, new lids.
10. Sterilize the Jars:
- Place the sealed jars in a large pot of boiling water and sterilize for 30 minutes. Ensure the jars are fully submerged during the process.
11. Store:
- Once sterilized, remove the jars from the water and let them cool completely.
- Store the jars in a warm, dark place. The sauce should last for several months when stored properly.
Enjoy!
This delicious sauce is rich, flavorful, and perfect for serving with pasta, rice, or even as a dip with fresh bread. With a recipe this good, you’ll definitely find yourself making more than 100 jars in no time!