Roasted red pepper and walnut dip

This is a lovely Middle Eastern dip.  It can be scooped up using pita bread or served with beans, lentils or roast meat,

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 1 Hr

Total Time: 1¼ hs

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

110 gms          Walnut halves         

6                    Peppers  - red         

80 ml              Olive oil    

1                    Onion  - red - finely chopped   

4 cloves           Garlic  - crushed      

2 tsp               Tomato purée         

2 tsp               Chilli flakes  - Aleppo 

2 tsp               Cumin  - ground      

35 gms            Breadcrumbs  - dried 

1½ tbs            Pomegranate molasses           

2 tsp               Lemon juice            

                     Pepper  - black        

                     Salt          

1 tbs               Parsley  - chopped    

Method

Heat an oven to 160°C.

Spread the walnuts out on a parchment-lined tray and roast for about 8 minutes, until lightly toasted.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 220°C.  Place the peppers on a parchment-lined baking tray and coat them with 1 teaspoon of oil.  Bake for 40 minutes or until completely softened and charred.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with a clean tea towel or a plate and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes.  Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins, stems and seeds.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a sauté pan and place on a medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring, until softened and browned.  Add the garlic, tomato purée and spices and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and pour into a food processor, along with the roasted pepper, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper.  Blend until it has formed a coarse paste.  Then add 90g of the walnuts.  Process for another 20 seconds.  Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.  Roughly crush the remaining walnuts and sprinkle these over the top followed by the parsley.

Wine recommendations

A rustic wine - not too aromatic.

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône

Interesting

     Beaujolais

     Chardonnay

     Cheverny

     Côtes du Luberon rouge or blanc