Ajapsandali Salad

Ajapsandali is a rustic dish from the Caucasus region, especially popular in Georgia - often called “a Georgian Ratatouille”.The name “ajapsandali” is believed to come from Persian or Turkish, meaning something like “mixed vegetables”.Traditionally it was a summertime dish, since eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers ripen together and were abundant in Georgian village gardens. The baked/roasted version is more modern, while grilling is more preferable for its smoke flavor.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium ripe tomatoes
  • 2 medium eggplants (about 500 g)
  • 1-2 red bell peppers
  • 1 medium onion, sliced from Quarter Round parts (red or yellow
  • 3-4 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 small bunch chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (or sunflower oil, traditional in Georgia)
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Instructions

  1. Bake vegetables:
  • Preheat oven to 400 °F.
  • Arrange the well-washed vegetables on a baking pan, pricking them in several places with a toothpick and spraying with 1 tablespoon oil.
  • Bake about 25–30 minutes pepper and tomatoes and 50 minutes eggplants until soft and slightly caramelized.

2.    Place the hot vegetables in a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let them cool - this makes peeling the skin much easier.

3.    Peel off the skin, remove the seeds, and chop into roughly ½ inch pieces. If the tomatoes release too much liquid, simply drain off the excess juice.

4.    Mix with:

  •   garlic, onion, vinegar, coriander and remaining olive oil
  •   cilantro
  •   salt and pepper 

5.    Serve

  •    Transfer to a wide salad plate.
  •    Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
  •   As a side dish with any grilled meat or with bruschetta.

Optional

Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds or miced greek walnuts for a Georgian touch

 

Total preparation time – 1 hour and 20 minutes. Makes 4 one-cup servings.