Mahammara Dip, a new to me recipe and I loved it

Tried a new recipe yesterday and it was a winner.  A good for you dip😄  This was very tasty even though I didn’t follow the recipe correctly, always in a hurry and easily distracted.  I was suppose to only add the lemon and honey if I couldn’t find pomegranate molasses or balsamic but that was the entire reason I was trying this recipe.  It was a touch sweet but not too much.  I’ll try it without the lemon and honey to see if I like it better.  Mine was looser than the picture looked but after sitting in the fridge it tightened up and was perfect.  It was served it with a drizzle of EVOO and parsley on top.  I served it alone on crackers and for a side dish as a pasta sauce with a drizzle of EVOO for dinner with grilled cod in a coffee dry rub.  Both were tasty and the crackers dipped where addicting.  This dip is pronounced “m’hmara” which means “red” in Arabic and is served throughout the Middle East so I read.  The fiber rich peppers and walnuts are good for your gut so eat up.  Original recipe came from the newspaper, Aug. 14, 2022.  

MUHAMMARA DIP

12 oz. jar roasted red bell pepper, drained
1 C. walnuts, toasted or not
1/2 C. sourdough breadcrumbs
3 T. EVOO
1 T. pomegranate molasses or
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. honey
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne
1/4 t. Kosher salt
1 clove garlic

Toast walnuts.  Add everything to a food processor.  Process on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.  Store in a 16 oz. wide mouth jar in the refrigerator.

Notes:  I freeze the ends of sourdough bread loafs.  When ready I grind them up to make breadcrumbs.  Storage: You can refrigerate in a tight-lid container for 4 days and up to one week. A thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to cover the top of the dip will help preserve it.

Serving Suggestions:  Use as a dip with crackers, pita chips or pita bread, as a condiment on sandwiches, tossed with pasta and top with a drizzle of EVOO and parmesan or on pizza in place of tomato sauce.

Variations: 

• Top with EVOO and parsley to serve. 
• Roast 2 bell peppers in the oven, 425F/30 minutes.
• Add:  2 ½ T. tomato paste, 1 t Aleppo pepper vs cayenne, 1 t sumac (I have not tried this change)