A colorful summer stew of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, and green beans baked in a clay pot with a topping of melted cheese and eggs. Bulgaria's harvest celebration in a dish.
Ingredients
2 large tomatoes, sliced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 eggplant, cubed
200g okra, trimmed
200g green beans, cut
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
100g feta or sirene cheese
2 eggs
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp paprika
Salt, pepper, parsley
Instructions
1Cube the eggplant, salt it, and let it drain for 15 minutes to remove bitterness. Rinse and pat dry.
2Layer all vegetables in a clay pot: start with onions and garlic, then eggplant, peppers, green beans, okra, and tomatoes on top.
3Drizzle with sunflower oil, season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Add 100ml water.
4Cover the clay pot and bake at 180C for 45 minutes until all vegetables are tender and juicy.
5Remove the lid, crumble cheese over the top, and crack eggs over the surface. Return to the oven uncovered for 10-12 minutes until eggs set and cheese melts.
6Garnish with fresh parsley and serve directly from the clay pot with crusty bread.
Did You Know?
The word gyuvech refers both to the clay pot and the dish cooked in it, and Bulgarians consider food baked in clay to have a special flavor no other vessel can replicate.