Zacusca
Encyclopedia
Zacuscă is a vegetable spread
very popular in Romania
. Similar spreads are found in other countries throughout, or bordering, the Balkans
.
(belonging to a local cultivar
called gogoşari) and chopped onion
. In North America
gogosari equate with pimento peppers and are available in farmers' markets late in the summer. Some add tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, or celery
. Other ingredients are also added according to taste, including spices. Traditionally, a family will cook a large quantity of it after the fall harvest and preserve it in sterilized jars.
It 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. Some Bulgaria
n and Middle Eastern brand-names are available in the United States
.
origin (compare , zakuska), which means simply "appetizer" or "snack". The Slavic root of the word indicates "tasty" ( vkusno), "to bite" , or "to snack" .
Spread (food)
A spread is a food that is spread with a knife onto bread, crackers, or other bread products. Spreads are added to bread products to provide flavor and texture, and are an integral part of the dish, i.e. they should be distinguished from condiments, which are optional additions...
very popular in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Similar spreads are found in other countries throughout, or bordering, the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Recipe
The main ingredients are roasted eggplant or cooked beans, roasted red peppersBell pepper
Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper or a pepper and capsicum , is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum annuum . Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange and green. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as...
(belonging to a local cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
called gogoşari) and chopped onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
gogosari equate with pimento peppers and are available in farmers' markets late in the summer. Some add tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, or celery
Celery
Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac , depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall...
. Other ingredients are also added according to taste, including spices. Traditionally, a family will cook a large quantity of it after the fall harvest and preserve it in sterilized jars.
It 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. Some Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n and Middle Eastern brand-names are available in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Etymology
The word zacuscă is of SlavicSlavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
origin (compare , zakuska), which means simply "appetizer" or "snack". The Slavic root of the word indicates "tasty" ( vkusno), "to bite" , or "to snack" .
See also
- AjvarAjvarAjvar and aijvar is relish, made principally from red bell peppers, with eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. Ajvar originates in the Serbian cuisine, and was therefore long known as "Serbian salad" or "Serbian vegetable caviar"...
and PinđurPinđurPinđur or Pindjur is a Serbian and Macedonian spicy relish form , and is commonly used as a summer spread.Pindjur is similar to ajvar but is generally made with aubergines...
a similar relish from SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... - Lutenica, another similar relishRelishA relish is a cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit food item which is typically used as a condiment.In North America, relish commonly alludes to sweet pickle relish-like sauce that often condiments hot dogs, hamburgers and other types of fast food.-Description and ingredients:The item...
from the BalkansBalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe... - Biber salçasıBiber salçasiBiber salçası is a thick, deep red paste made from red chili peppers and salt. It is a part of cuisines of Anatolia and is enjoyed by different ethnic groups in the region. It is used mainly for flavoring main dishes, as well as to fill pide and börek...
, a Turkish spread made from red peppers alone - MatbuchaMatbucharight|thumb|250px|MatbuchaMatbucha is a cooked dish of tomatoes and roasted bell peppers seasoned with garlic and chili pepper. The name of the dish originates from Arabic and means "cooked [salad]". It is served as an appetizer, often as part of a meze. In Israel it is sometimes referred to as...
, a Middle Eastern cooked salad of tomatoes and bell peppers - MezeMezeMeze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....