This vibrant blend of roasted red peppers, buttery almonds, and peppery olive oil is a close cousin of Palestinian muhammara (traditionally made with walnuts and pomegranate molasses).
Our version is wonderfully versatile – spoon it into a sandwich, use it as a base for roasted veg, or serve it alongside grilled meat, poultry, or fish. Or, as we’ve done here, pair it with crispy roasted potatoes. Sunshine optional – but recommended!
Serves 6-8 as a starter, preparation time 10 mins + 25 mins baking
Ingredients:
- For the Crispy Smashed Potatoes:
- 500g baby new potatoes
- 2-3 tbsp 100ml Zaytoun Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- For the Romesco Sauce
- 150g Zaytoun Almonds
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 400g jarred roasted red peppers (drained weight)
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 1 slice sourdough white bread, sprinkled with water to soak
- 100ml Zaytoun Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Tip: Add a chopped chilli if you’d like a little more kick.
- To Garnish:
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Pomegranate
Method:
1. Start by preparing the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 200Fan/180ºC and have one large baking tray to hand. Add the potatoes to a large pan of boiling water and allow to bubble for 10 minutes, until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and arrange on the tray, leaving some room around each one. Use the base of a mug to press down on each potato to smash them. Drizzle with the olive oil, some salt and pepper and roast for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Turn the tray around halfway through cooking.
2. Meanwhile make the romesco sauce. Add the almonds to dry hot pan and pan fry for 5 minutes, tossing regularly until they smell toasty. Remove from the pan and allow to cool fully. Reserve 10g of almonds for the top and roughly chop these.
3. Add the almonds to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumble. Add in the garlic and blitz again so the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Now add in the red peppers and tomato puree and blend to a chunky paste.
5. Tear the bread and add to the blender with half of the olive oil. Pulse to start and then continue to blend to form a smooth paste.
6. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and season with the cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper and stir in a few more tablespoons of the olive oil to reach your desired consistency. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like.
7. Serve the Romesco Sauce in a bowl, drizzled with some extra olive oil, the reserved chopped almonds, some fresh parsley and enjoy.
8. Or, to serve with the potatoes, spread the Romesco Sauce onto a large plate and pile on the roasted potatoes. Sprinkle over the almonds, parsley and pomegranate and a drizzle of olive oil. 9. The sauce will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5
Other recipes celebrating Fairtrade ingredients
