Meze Atlas, Dips and spreads

Muhammara

Name: Muhammara
Prep time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 3 red bell peppers; 150 g walnuts; 40 g dry breadcrumbs; 1 clove garlic; 1 tbsp biber salçası (hot pepper paste); 2 tbsp nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo-style chilli flakes); ½ tsp salt; 60 ml olive oil

/moo·ham·ma·RA/

Roasted red pepper and walnut paste with pomegranate molasses

6serves

45 minactive time

Goes with

Rakı

Sweet-sour pomegranate and toasted walnut stand up well to the strong anise of rakı.

Also good with red wine.

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

3red bell peppers
150 gwalnuts
40 gdry breadcrumbs
1 clovegarlic
1 tbspbiber salçası (hot pepper paste)
2 tbspnar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses)
1 tspground cumin
1 tsppul biber (Aleppo-style chilli flakes)
½ tspsalt
60 mlolive oil

Method

Roast the peppers under a hot grill or over a flame for about 20 minutes, turning, until blackened. Cover for 10 minutes, then peel and seed.
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes and cool. Keep a few aside to garnish.
Pound or pulse the peppers, walnuts, breadcrumbs and garlic into a coarse paste. Do not make it completely smooth.
Mix in the pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, cumin, pul biber, salt and most of the oil.
Spread on a plate, drizzle with the remaining oil and top with the reserved walnuts.