Romanian sweet pepper salad or salata de ardei or salata de piper starts with Romanian peppers that begin ivory-colored, turn orange, then mature to red. The peppers are often harvested when ivory and fried. Red bell peppers can be used here and, unlike other Romanian pepper salads, they are not roasted or peeled in this recipe, and garlic or onion are not used. Peppers are a traditional mezeluri (appetizer) dish.
Here is a larger photo of Romanian Sweet Pepper Salad.
Here is a larger photo of Romanian Sweet Pepper Salad.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Marinating time: 24 hours
Total Time: 24 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings Romanian Pepper Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 Romanian red peppers or red bell peppers, washed, stemmed, seeded and cut lengthwise into quarters
- 3 tablespoons white-wine or red-wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sweet or hot Hungarian paprika (optional)
- 12 or more pitted brined black olives
- 4 ounces cubed Bulgarian feta or kashkaval cheese
Preparation:
- Blanch pepper quarters for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and blot with paper towels.
- Meanwhile, make the marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag by mixing vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, sugar and paprika, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Add pepper quarters, seal the bag and turn over several times so peppers are completely coated. Refrigerate flat for 24 hours, flipping over after 12 hours.
- When ready to serve, place peppers on individual plates or a platter. Place olives over peppers followed by cheese cubes. Drizzle some of the marinade over all and serve immediately.
