Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Muhammara (Acuka)

Spicy-sweet paste of roasted peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses, blended smooth with olive oil.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 3 red pointed peppers
• 150 g walnuts
• 60 g breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp pepper paste
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Roast the red pointed peppers under the top grill at 220°C for 15–18 min. until the skin blisters black, then let sweat covered for 10 min. and remove skin and seeds.
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3–4 min. until fragrant and let cool completely – warm nuts would make the paste oily.
3. Briefly blitz the walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, Aleppo pepper and salt in a food processor into a coarse grind.
4. Add the peeled peppers, pepper paste and pomegranate molasses and blend everything into a still slightly grainy paste; not too smooth, the texture belongs.
5. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream until the paste turns silky and glossy and falls from the spoon; season with salt and pomegranate molasses.
6. Chill for at least 1 hr., then smooth into wave patterns with the back of a spoon on a shallow plate, drizzle with olive oil and serve with flatbread.