Romanian Zacusa

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Wash the eggplant and wipe it down well. Make 3 slits on it's skin and grease it with a little oil.

Keep it on an oven-safe dish and bake/grill for around 30-40 minutes, or until the skin sulks . Then take it out and let it cool completely.

In the same pan, place the red peppers, washed and wiped. Grill it for around 20 minutes, then turn the peppers and grill for another 20 minutes so that the skin gets charred and gives a nice smoky flavor.

Remove from the oven and let it cool. Peel the skin off from the peppers and also the eggplant. Mash them well with our fingers or a potato masher. Also chop the onion finely.

Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and saute until they turn translucent. Next add the mashed pepper and eggplant, alongwith the tomato paste, pounded pepper and salt.

Let this cook in a slow flame until the liquid evaporates and it becomes nice and saucy. Be careful not to burn the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring at intervals.

Remove the spread onto another clean bowl. Serve it along with toasted bread or any other flat-bread as accompaniment.