How to: roasted peppers (Pecenje paprike)

Roasted peppers (Pecenje paprike) have a way of elevating a dish to a whole different level because of their rich, smoky, creamy flavour and their different vibrant colours. I personally believe roasting peppers is a skill that is undoubtedly impressive and roasted peppers can make such a difference to a meal. Now, If you live in the Balkans you’d know that the paprika/pepper season is a big deal because peppers are abundant in this region and are used in so many different ways; from preserving, stuffing, and frying to literally eating them raw like that as a snack. So I’d say this region knows a thing about roasting peppers, also because this is the home of the famous Ajvar which uses roasted peppers, and you may roast any kind of pepper, from bell peppers to banana peppers.

There are a few ways to get the roasted effect of “roasted pepper” and I will discuss three that are most common.

Oven roasted peppers

This is undoubtedly the easiest way to roast peppers. For this you need:

• Baking sheet
• Peppers
• Olive oil
• A bowl or plastic bag
• Tongs

Directions:

• Wash your peppers and make sure they are dry.
• Place them on a baking sheet
• Lightly rub olive oil on them (If you don’t have it, you may leave this step out)
• Put them in a preheated oven, and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 35 minutes.
• Once done, remove the peppers and place them in a bowl, close it tightly, and allow them to steam for about 10 minutes or more if necessary (until they’re not hot anymore). If you don’t have a bowl you may use a plastic bag and close it tightly.
• After steaming the peppers, you may peel off the skin, the steaming makes it easy to peel it off.
• At this stage you have your roasted peppers, you may remove the seeds or enjoy as you wish. You can start with Roasted pepper sauce, to ease your way into things. However, the possibilities are endless. You may also try this Roasted pepper salad, which is amazingly delicious and very popular in the Balkans.

Stove- top roasted peppers

This is the easiest, quickest way to roast peppers. If you have a stove, done. All you have to do is switch on the stove, and when it’s hot place the peppers on the stove plate. The peppers will char and at that stage, you will turn for the other side to “roast”. When the peppers are charred all around, place them in a bowl and close it tightly for the peppers to steam.

Grill roasted peppers

If you have a grill, then this method should be the most ideal because;

1. You can roast a lot of peppers at a go
2. You have the perfect smokiness and char of the peppers.

During the paprika season, a lot of people use this method because it’s literally the best method to “roast” peppers. After you’ve charred the peppers on the grill, you’ll as with other methods, close them up in a container or bag so they can steam. This is an important step that should not be missed because this will allow you to peel the peppers without much effort.

Well, that’s it, folks. I hope you enjoy making delicious recipes with your roasted peppers and wish your kitchen to be filled with a warm paprika smell and lots of memories.