Muhammara

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds red bell peppers
• 2 small hot chilies, such as Fresno, Hot Hungarian
• 1/2 cup wheat crackers, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) walnuts coarsely ground
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses, sometimes more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 large pitas, cut into 8 wedges and toasted

Directions

Preheat the grill. Roast the peppers and chiles over the grill or open flame until they are blistered, about 8 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skin. Peel off the skin and remove the seeds. Pat the peppers dry with a paper towel. In the work bowl of your food processor, combine and process the crackers, walnuts, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, and sugar , until smooth. Add the red peppers and process until creamy. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the chile pepper and salt to taste. If it is too thick, thin with a few tablespoons of water. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mellow. Serve with the toasted pita wedges.