My best friend is lucky enough to travel for pleasure quite a bit, due to her being able to tag along on her husband’s business trips. They have been so many places, I cannot even keep track anymore, but I always look forward to the treats she brings back for me. She was the first person to introduce me to the beautiful food that is Ajvar (pronounced AY-var) by bringing me back a little jar of pure, fire roasted bliss from one of her trips to Turkey. I still can remember that day. It was like meeting your true love.

Ajvar is a fire roasted eggplant and red pepper spread from Serbia that comes in various degrees of spice, so you can pick what level of heat you desire. I find mine in Middle East markets or imported food stores; there are dozens of different makers out there. Ajvar is a wonderful friend to the world of flatbread, and can be used in hundreds of ways to add a layer of depth to your favorite wrap or flatbread. When you find it, buy a few extra jars for friends when they flip out after you make this flatbread for them. This will win you big friend points!

In this recipe, I let Ajvar take the place of a traditional tomato sauce on a flatbread pizza, and dress the pizza simply with tomatoes and cheese. Then, when it comes out of the oven, I scatter fresh baby arugula over the flatbread by the handful and cut it up into pieces.

Make a couple of these spicy numbers for a sophisticated appetizer with some cold beers after work on a Friday and they will disappear in seconds, guaranteed. You can give away those extra jars, now, as well as teach everyone how to pronounce Ajvar!

Amy at Flatout