Perime Zgare
Perime Zgare·(peh-REE-meh ZGAH-reh)
Zgara: The Backyard Besa
When Americans grill vegetables, they typically drown them in oil and vinegar before they ever see the fire, resulting in a burnt, soggy afterthought. In Albania, the zgara is a sacred space of hospitality, and the vegetables are treated with the exact same reverence as the meat. The grandmother's secret here is purely thermal: grill the produce almost dry until blistering and deeply charred, then plunge them screaming hot into a bath of extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic, and raw crushed garlic. The broken-down plant cells act like hot sponges, instantly blooming the garlic and drinking in the tangy marinade. It is a smoky, rich, restorative staple of a Tirana summer night, completely manageable on a Tuesday in Ohio.
Before you start
Sweat the eggplant if time permits.
Lay the eggplant slices on a baking sheet, sprinkle generously with extra kosher salt, and let them sweat out their bitter water for 30 minutes before patting them completely dry with a paper towel.
Build the grandmother's marinade.
In a large mixing bowl wide enough to hold all the cooked vegetables, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and oregano.
Ingredients
- globe eggplant2 med
- zucchini2 med
- red bell pepper1 large
- green bell pepper1 large
- red onion1 large
- extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- balsamic vinegar3 tbsp
- garlic2 large cloves
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- neutral oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Fire up the zgara.
Preheat your outdoor grill or an indoor cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat until the grates are fiercely hot, then lightly wipe them with a paper towel dipped in neutral oil.
- 02
Grill the vegetables completely dry.
Place the sliced vegetables on the hot grill in batches to avoid overcrowding, letting them cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side until they develop deep, dark char marks and a tender, collapsed interior.
- 03
Plunge the vegetables directly into the hot bath.
As soon as the vegetables are tender and blistered, use tongs to transfer them immediately from the screaming hot grill grates directly into the large bowl with the waiting marinade.
- 04
Toss and rest.
Gently toss the vegetables so the ambient heat slightly cooks the raw garlic and the porous flesh drinks up the oil and vinegar, then let the bowl sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Standard American eggplants can be bitter.
American globe eggplants are often older and more bitter than the smaller, sweeter varieties found in Albanian markets, making the sweating step highly recommended if you aren't rushing to get dinner on the table.
The stovetop grill pan works flawlessly.
If you are cooking in an apartment without an outdoor grill, a cast-iron grill pan works perfectly—just ensure you let it heat up for a full 5 minutes before adding the vegetables so they char rather than steam.
From Cook Albanian in America.