Muhammara
Local name : محمرة
A smoky purée of roasted red peppers and walnuts, sharpened with pomegranate molasses and warmed by Aleppo pepper.
Photo : Bazel · Public domain
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Heat the oven to 220°C. Put the whole peppers on a tray and roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches.
- Tip the hot peppers into a bowl, cover with a plate for 10 minutes, then peel and seed them. Let them drain in a sieve.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Set a small handful aside for the top.
- Blend the peppers with the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice. Keep the texture slightly coarse.
- Trickle in the olive oil with the motor running, then season with salt and add a little more molasses if it needs sharpening.
- Chill for an hour, then serve at room temperature with a slick of oil and the reserved walnuts, roughly crushed, scattered over.
Muhammara comes from Aleppo, where it sits on the mezze table beside warm flatbread. It is much better made a day ahead, once the flavours settle and the pomegranate loses its edge.
