Zimnička Testenina
Зимничка тестенина·(zeem-neech-ka tes-te-nee-na)
Zimnica: The Balkan Pantry & Modern Shortcuts
If you grew up in a Balkan household—whether in Belgrade, Sarajevo, or some quiet suburb in Ohio—you know the smell of the late-summer zimnica ritual, roasting peppers to capture the sunshine for the dark winter ahead. But on a freezing Tuesday night, what did grandmothers actually do with those jars of ajvar? They made this. It’s pure, unapologetic home cooking: cheap, pantry-staple macaroni tossed with a rich egg custard, tangy feta, and a generous scoop of smoky ajvar, baked until the top is a fiercely contested landscape of charred, chewy, bubbling cheese. No fancy techniques, just the unwritten secret of trusting concentrated, smoky magic to do the heavy lifting.
Before you start
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Grease a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish with a little butter or oil.
Ingredients
- dried short pasta1 lb
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- ajvar3/4 cup
- spicy pepperoni or thick-cut bacon3 oz
- eggs3 large
- full-fat sour cream1/2 cup
- feta cheese1 cup
- low-moisture mozzarella and monterey jack cheese blend1 1/2 cup
- olive oil1 tbsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Parboil the pasta in heavily salted water.
Boil the pasta for two minutes less than the package instructions so it remains al dente, reserving a quarter cup of the starchy water before draining.
- 02
Whisk together the custard base.
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs, sour cream, and olive oil until smooth, then stir in the ajvar until the mixture turns a vibrant sunset orange.
- 03
Fold in the cheeses and meat.
Add the crumbled feta, one cup of the shredded melting cheese, black pepper, and the diced pepperoni or bacon.
- 04
Bloom the ajvar with the hot pasta.
Dump the hot, drained pasta directly into the bowl to let the residual heat instantly bloom the smoky paprika oils and temper the eggs. If the mixture feels too thick, splash in a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it into a creamy consistency.
- 05
Bake until golden and bubbling.
Spread the coated pasta into the greased baking dish, scatter the remaining half cup of shredded cheese over the top, and bake uncovered on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are dark and crispy.
Notes
You can skip the bake for a fifteen-minute stovetop shortcut.
Sauté garlic and onion, add the ajvar and a splash of heavy cream, then toss with the cooked pasta and feta for a quick weeknight alternative.
Source the right ajvar.
Look for jars labeled 'blagi' (mild) or 'ljuti' (hot) where the primary ingredients are simply roasted red peppers and eggplant, avoiding brands heavily diluted with tomato paste.
From Cook Balkan in America.