Lyutenitsa

• 1.200 kg Red peppers (10/12 red peppers)
• 0.250 kg Eggplant
• 0.030 lt Tomato concentrate.
• 0.050 lt Sunflower oil
• 0.020 kg Garlic clove
• 0.015 kg Sugar
• 0.015 lt Apple vinegar
• 0.002 kg Salt
• 0.001 kg Ground red pepper

1. 1 Pre-wash all vegetables.
2. 2 Cut in ½, remove the seeds and arrange them on a baking sheet.
3. 3 Warm the oven to roasting mode at 200°c and roast by turning each time when large, brown blistering forms on the surface of the peppers. Reserve the peppers in a covered dish; the skin will be removed more easily.
4. 4 Wrap the eggplant in aluminium foil, place it halfway in the oven and bake at 200 °C for 30 minutes.
5. 5 Let it cool in a salad bowl by splitting it in 2-3 places to make it juice. Peel both the peppers and the eggplant.
6. 6 Chop the garlic (for better digestion, remove the central part from the garlic clove).
7. 7 Put all of these and the rest of the ingredients in an electric robot or in a blender and blitz to obtain a smooth and homogeneous paste.
8. 8 Season to taste.
9. 9 Nutritional Highlights: making lyutenitsa provides a highly nutritious, nutrient-dense profile. Primarily composed of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants, it is naturally low in calories while boasting an exceptionally high concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support immune health and reduce inflammation.
10. 10 Generally, per 100g serving, lyutenitsa offers:
11. 11 • Calories: ~100 - 140 kcal
12. 12 • Total carbs: ~10 - 21g
13. 13 • Dietary fiber: ~1 - 7g
14. 14 • Fat: ~3 - 7g (largely heart-healthy unsaturated fats from vegetable oils)
15. 15 • Protein: ~1 - 4g

Sustainability impact

Wasted avoided: peels/skins from the vegetables. Roasting juices kept from previous recipes. Eggplant pulp from dark/bruised eggplants. By-product used: peels and skins from tomatoes and eggplant. Valorisation strategy: source heritage Kapia peppers and vine-ripened local tomatoes. Emphasise slow roasting over charcoal, highlight traditional community preparation, and package in reusable glass jars with handcrafted labels. Circular economy principle: rethinking the production cycle to eliminate waste, circulate materials, and regenerate nature. By adopting smart sourcing, maximising byproduct usage, and closing the biological loop, you reduce the environmental footprint of this traditional Balkan staple.