Since we don’t have wood-fired ovens like in the countryside, roast the eggplant and bell peppers whole (unpierced) in a heavy iron pan over a gas flame, turning them just before the skin burns.

Once the vegetables are well charred, cover them and let them rest, well covered, so they finish cooking and cool to warm—about 1 hour.

Peel off the skins. The skins should come off easily. Some people rub a little oil on the skins before roasting, but I think that takes away the smoky flavor you get from the pan.

Tear the vegetables into strips by hand—don’t use a knife! That’s the special touch of this dish; 'esgarrar' means to tear. If you tear along the grain, you’ll get long strips. Add the garlic, either finely chopped or sliced, cover with olive oil, and refrigerate.