Cooking with Toti
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Bulgarian Summer Eggplant Dip (Kyopolou)
Smoky grilled eggplant and peppers blended into Bulgaria's favorite summer dip.
Serves
6–8
Time
45 min
Known in Bulgaria as Kyopolou (Кьополу), this summer eggplant dip is one of our favorite traditional recipes. Traditionally the roasted vegetables are chopped by hand, but my modern twist is the food processor — same flavor, a fraction of the time, still beautifully rustic.
Instructions
Roast the Vegetables
- 1
Roast the eggplant and peppers on the grill for a smoky flavor, or in the oven until soft and nicely charred.
- 2
Transfer to a bowl and cover (or seal in a container) for 10–15 minutes so they steam and the skins loosen.
- 3
Peel the eggplant and peppers. If chopping by hand, remove the pepper seeds; in the food processor I leave them in.
Blend
- 1
Add the roasted eggplant, peppers, garlic, parsley, olive oil, paprika, oregano, saffron, salt, and pepper to a food processor.
- 2
Blend until well combined — I like leaving it slightly rustic instead of completely smooth.
- 3
Taste and add a little more olive oil, salt, or pepper if you'd like.
Serve
- 1
Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and garnish with fresh parsley.
- 2
Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve — delicious with toasted bread, crackers, grilled meats, or fresh vegetables.
Toti’s Tips
- ✓Grilling or roasting the eggplant and peppers until well charred is what gives this dip its signature smoky flavor, so don't pull them too early.
- ✓Cover the roasted vegetables and let them steam for 10-15 minutes before peeling, since the trapped steam loosens the skins and makes them slip off easily instead of sticking.
- ✓Leave the pepper seeds in if you're using a food processor, since blending breaks them down completely, but remove them for hand-chopping where whole seeds would be noticeable.
- ✓Pulse rather than puree the mixture if you want a rustic texture, since overblending turns the dip into a smooth paste and loses the chunky, homestyle feel.
- ✓Start with a smaller amount of olive oil and add more to taste, since it's easy to add but hard to take out once the dip gets too oily.
- ✓Let the dip sit for a bit before serving if you can, since the garlic and spices need a little time to mellow into the vegetables.
- ✓This dip tastes good cold, at room temperature, or slightly warm, so don't worry about timing it perfectly around serving.
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