Traditional Aleppo muhammara with red bell peppers and walnuts

Ingredients

• 800 g fresh red bell peppers
• 140 g walnut halves
• 55 g plain fine breadcrumbs
• 45 ml pomegranate molasses
• 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 15 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 pinches fine salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature. Place the whole bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast them, turning them regularly, until their skin is blistered and blackened on all sides.
2. Immediately transfer the bell peppers to a bowl and cover tightly. Let them steam until they can be handled without burning yourself.
3. Peel the bell peppers with your fingers, then remove the stems, seeds and white membranes. Do not rinse them, in order to preserve their juices. Place them in a strainer and let them drain thoroughly.
4. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until fragrant, without letting them brown deeply. Let them cool.
5. Place the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and grind them into a coarse powder. They should retain a slight texture and not turn into an oily paste.
6. Add the drained bell peppers, breadcrumbs, garlic, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, cumin and salt.
7. Pulse until you get a thick, soft and still slightly grainy mixture. Traditional muhammara should be neither perfectly smooth nor watery.
8. Gradually pour in the olive oil during the final pulses, just enough to incorporate it without excessively emulsifying the mixture.
9. Taste and check the balance between the sweetness of the bell pepper, the acidity of the pomegranate molasses, the heat of the Aleppo pepper and the slight bitterness of the walnuts. Adjust only the salt if necessary.
10. Cover and let rest in the fridge so the breadcrumbs hydrate and the flavors meld. Take the muhammara out before serving so it regains a soft texture.
11. Divide equally according to the indicated number of servings. Spread each portion in a shallow bowl, creating ridges with the back of a spoon.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

320.6 kcal

Protein

6.69 g

Carbohydrate

21.96 g

Fat

23.97 g

Fibre

4.77 g

Calcium

14.58 mg

Iron

0.85 mg

Magnesium

14.3 mg