Eggplant, Red Pepper And Tomato Stew

Elena Butuc

In our home in Moldova, we refer to this dish as "Tocana". In Romania, it's known as "Zacusca", with the key difference being that the vegetables are cubed, not mashed. This method gives the stew a fantastic texture, making it perfect to serve as a meal or spread on bread like zacusca.

It's crucial to follow the order for sautéing the ingredients separately before mixing them, as this greatly influences the flavor. Served hot, it tastes delightful, and when cold, it's exceptional. Regardless of how much I make, it's never enough! This is my grandmother's recipe, a time-tested favorite that I wholeheartedly recommend.

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Eggplant

1 kg

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Bell pepper

1 kg

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White onion

3 pieces

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Tomatoes

3 pieces

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Salt

1 tbsp

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Sunflower oil

100 ml

Step by step

Step 1

Peel and chop the eggplant, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Let it sit to drain its juices for about 30-50 minutes.

Step 2

While the eggplants are draining, prepare the other ingredients. Wash, clean, finely chop the peppers, and sauté them in a pan with a little oil.

Step 3

Stir occasionally and let the peppers cook until reduced and starting to brown. Transfer them to a bowl, as you'll use the pan for the eggplant later.

Step 4

In a smaller pan, sauté the finely chopped onion with a bit of oil until it's lightly browned.

Step 5

Add the diced tomatoes and mix, simmering until the tomato juice has reduced slightly.

Step 6

Now focus on the eggplants. You'll notice they've reduced in size and released juice. Drain well, sauté with a little oil until well softened and slightly browned.

Step 7

Stir the sautéed peppers into the eggplants and let them cook together for another 3-5 minutes.

Step 8

Then, add the tomato and onion mixture, stir well, and keep on heat for 5 more minutes. Adjust for salt, since the eggplants were salted. Best served after cooling, either cold from the fridge or warm.

Enjoy!