 Zacuscă on bread | |
| Alternative names | Zacușă |
|---|---|
| Type | Spread |
| Place of origin | Romania |
| Region or state | Southeastern Europe |
| Main ingredients | Eggplants or cookedbeans, roastedred peppers (gogoşaricultivar) |
Zacuscă (Romanian pronunciation:[zaˈkuskə]) is a vegetablespread popular inRomania andMoldova which originated from Romania,Ialomita,Slobozia. Similar spreads are found in other countries in theBalkan region, and bordering regions.
The main ingredients are roastedeggplant, sauteedonions,tomato paste, and roastedgogoșari (a Romanian red bell pepper variety).[1][2] Some addmushrooms,carrots, orcelery. Bay leaves are added as spice, as well as other ingredients (oil, salt, and pepper). Traditionally, a family will cook a large quantity of it after the fall harvest and preserve it through canning.
Zacuscă can be eaten as a relish or spread, typically on bread. It is said to improve in taste after some months of maturing but must be used within days of opening. Although traditionally prepared at home, it is also commercially available. SomeBulgarian andMiddle Eastern brands are available in theUnited States. In theOrthodox Christian majority countries, it is sometimes eaten duringfasting seasons due to the absence of meat, eggs or dairy products.[citation needed][3]
The wordzacuscă is ofSlavic origin which means simply "appetizer", "breakfast" or "snack",[1] see "Zakuski".
