The most often made dip in my house, aside from Hummus, because….well Hummus is the king, is absolutely Muhammara. It’s by far my wife’s favorite dip, and also the least likely consumed dip of my guests before attending one of my meals. It’s the “oh wow, what is this?” dip. I also get more requests to make this dip than any other, because it’s so different from traditional middle eastern dips which are frequently tahini based. While this is great on pita, thinking outside the box and using it with meat or fish makes a ton of sense. It could also be used as a red pesto with pasta. This is great right out of the food processor, but letting it sit a day will only intensify the flavors, so I would definitely suggest it.
Muhammara
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers roasted; skin, seeds and core removed
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 4 tsp tomato paste
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I like to use panko for the texture)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the peppers on a grill and turn every few minutes until the pepper is charred all over. Once completely charred, remove from grill and place in a bowl. Immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap, which will help to remove the skins once they have cooled. Once cooled, the skins should slide right off the pepper leaving only the red roasted flesh underneath. Discard the skin, core and seeds. DO NOT RINSE THE PEPPERS UNDER WATER if you can help it, you don’t want to rid all that great roasted flavor.
- Place the peppers in a food processor and pulse several times until they are reduced to a pulp. Add the walnuts and pulse together several times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the remaining ingredients. Continue to blend in the processor on med-high until well mixed. If you want to thin out your dip a little, add a little more extra virgin olive oil while the processor is running.