M'hammara
Discover M'hammara, a traditional sweet and savory red pepper spread from the Syrian city of Aleppo. Made with roasted sweet red peppers, toasted walnuts, pomegranate molasses, a touch of spice and a few other ingredients, this flavorful roasted red pepper walnut dip is sure to impress!
Ingredients
- 4 red bell peppers roasted
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil more for drizzling onto finished plate
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small chili pepper, seeds removed or 1 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon sea salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Rinse the red bell peppers, slice them in half and remove the stems, cores, seeds and white ribs. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the peppers cut side down on prepared sheet.
- Broil the peppers for about 10 minutes, or until their skins start to blister and char.
- Transfer the broiled bell peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let them steam for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen their skins, then peel and discard the skins.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peeled red peppers along with the toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt and if desired, a hot pepper (seeds removed). Pulse until mostly smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. (See note below about smoothness of dip)
- Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, drizzle Mhammara with a touch of olive oil and if desired, garnish with a bit of chopped fresh parsley and toasted walnuts. Serve with warm bread, pita chips, crackers or fresh vegetables.
Notes
- Note on texture and consistency: Mhammara can be adjusted to suit your preference. Blend it until smooth for a creamy dip, or keep it slightly chunky for more texture. You can also adjust the consistency. My version leans toward a slightly thinner consistency. For a thicker spread, reduce the amount of olive oil added in the food processor, or add more walnuts or breadcrumbs.
- Make sure to taste your walnuts to be sure they're fresh. Fresh walnuts have a mild, nutty flavor, while rancid ones will taste unpleasantly bitter or have an off flavor.
- Since I couldn't find Aleppo pepper, I used a deseeded chili pepper for heat and ground cumin for smokiness. If you can find Aleppo pepper, it’s a mild, smoky spice that’s authentic to this dish and a great alternative to regular chili pepper. Start with 1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper and adjust to taste. You can also reduce the cumin by half, as Aleppo pepper adds its own smoky flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 117mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1282IUVitamin C: 57mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
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