Traditional Macedonian Makalo (Eggplants, Tomatoes, and Peppers)

Any Macedonian will agree with me that these six vegetables - eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions and garlic are the real Macedonian benchmark and they are one of the best in the world. That's why Macedonians add these (except the cucumbers) in almost every dish that they prepare, because they give excellent taste to every dish. We use them fresh, baked, fried, preserved, frozen, you name it!

This is a recipe that is mixed exactly with this vegetables. You can eat this dish as a spread, as an appetizer, as side dish, together with cheese and bread or as an addition to the main dish.

Ingredients:

· 3 eggplants

· 2 larger tomatoes

· 5-6 red or green peppers (I prefer red if available)

· 1 head onions

· 5-6 cloves garlic

· salt to taste

· 1 to 2 tablespoons hot oil

Preparation:

First you must wash and clean from seeds eggplants and peppers and bake on a hotplate (or in oven at 400°F (200°C)) till softened. After baking, you need to put in a plastic bag and leave to cool down, then peel.

Then put tomatoes shortly in a boiling water, and immediately put in cold water and peel.

Now clean onions and garlic.

After that put eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and also garlic in a blender, add salt and blend until you get the required roughness. If you prefer a little rougher structure, then you need to blend just a bit.

Now place mixture in a deep plate or an earthenware and then pour over the hot oil.

Finally leave to cool then you can serve.

Tag: appetizer, salad, side dish, Macedonian