Pepper Appetizer Liutenica

You need:

• 6-7 red bell peppers
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
• ½ bunch of fresh parsley

Instructions:

Roast the peppers, or bake them. Place them in a covered pot for a few minutes to peel easier. Peel off the skin along with the stems and seeds. Mash the peppers forming a chunky mass. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion until golden brown. Add garlic and the tomato(es), and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mix. Add lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve as an appetizer to spread on pieces of fresh bread with chunks of feta cheese. You can use it as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats. This serves 6 to 8.

Eggplant spread (Kyopolu)

You need:

2-3 Average Eggplants

5-6 Peppers

3-4 Tomatoes

½ bunch fresh parsley

¼ cup sunflower oil

4-5 garlic cloves

a dozen olives

1-2 Tbsp vinegar

salt to taste

Instructions:

Remove the stems and the seeds of the peppers and roast them on all sides. Place them in a covered for  a few minutes. Roast the eggplants too, stems on. While still hot, place them in cold water for about a half an hour to remove the bitter black liquid. Peel the peppers, the tomatoes and the eggplants. Remove the stems from the eggplants. Finely chop all vegetables. Crush them in a food processor. Place them in a bowl and add the salt and the garlic, crushed, or pressed. Add the finely chopped parsley. Mix well with a spoon adding the sunflower oil. Add the vinegar and salt to taste. Garnish each individual serving with parsley, or olives. Use as spread on your favorite freshly baked bread.

Yogurt Salad (Snejanka)

You need:

2 fresh European cucumbers or 6-9 pickles

4 lb Plain Yogurt

½ Bunch fresh dill

4-5 garlic cloves

¼ cup sunflower oil
1/3 cup walnuts

salt to taste

Instructions:

Place the Plain Yogurt into a cheesecloth over a pot and strain for 2-3 hours. Peel the fresh cucumbers (not the pickles) and dice them. Place them in a deep bowl. Add the finely chopped dill, the garlic (crushed with salt or pressed) Add grated walnuts and the sunflower oil. Add the plain yogurt and the salt and stir. Mix with dill.