Vlach fried pepper salad: A bold, vibrant taste of the Danube

This quick and fuss-free fried pepper salad, inspired by the Vlach communities of Romania and Bulgaria, combines smoky peppers, tangy cheese, and a honey-garlic dressing bursting with personality.

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“This salad is inspired by the Vlach communities in Romania and Bulgaria, where fried peppers mixed with cheese appear in many dishes,” says Irina Georgescu.

“The Vlachs are also called Aromanians and they speak a romance language very similar to Romanian. They live throughout the Balkan countries and north of the Danube in Romania.

The recipe makes a good alternative to roasted pepper salad because the method is quicker and fuss-free, she says. “The honey and lemon juice mellow the garlic flavour and the dressing has bags of personality.”

Salată de Ardei Prăjiți | Vlach fried pepper salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the honey and garlic dressing:

3 medium garlic cloves, grated

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp juice from 1 small lemon

4 tsp runny honey

25ml (scant 2 tbsp) water

For the peppers:

2 large Romano peppers

4 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil

To serve:

50g white or feta-style cheese

Method:

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1. For the dressing, use a pestle and mortar to blend the grated garlic and salt with the oil until it emulsifies and thickens. Mix in the lemon juice and honey, then dilute it with water. Set aside.

2. Slice the peppers into three to four centimetre-long wedges and scrape off all the seeds. Heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and cook the peppers until soft and with lightly burnt patches.

3. Transfer to a bowl or plate, pour the dressing over and crumble the cheese on top. Allow the flavours to infuse and the dish to cool. Serve with bread or as a side dish.

Recipe from ‘Danube’ by Irina Georgescu (Hardie Grant, £28).