Hummus used to be my go-to dip, but lately I can’t stop making muhammara. 🌶️ It’s smoky, sweet, made with red peppers and walnuts, and the Aleppo pepper is what really makes it for me. This is what I make when people are already on their way over — five minutes in a food processor, and the pomegranate molasses does all the work. Rooted in Aleppo, with versions all over the Levant.
Ingredients
The Dip
- 3–4 red peppers, jarred or freshly roasted
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs — I use sourdough
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 Tbsp dried Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing
- Cayenne pepper, optional, to taste
- Salt, to taste
To Finish
- Pomegranate seeds
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- A few walnut halves
Instructions
- Sort out the peppers. If you want to roast your own, go for it, but jarred roasted peppers work just as well. Drain them well before using.
- Everything in. Add the red peppers, breadcrumbs, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, garlic and olive oil to a blender or food processor.
- Blend. Blend until combined, leaving it a little textured rather than completely smooth. Taste and season with salt and, if you want more heat, a small pinch of cayenne.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving dish and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, parsley and walnut halves.
Start light on the salt and cayenne, then adjust after blending. The pomegranate molasses and Aleppo pepper should really shine. Sometimes I add a little lemon and sumac to mine.