Equipment
Ingredients
Roasting Vegetables
- 2 aubergine, whole
- 2 red bell pepper, whole
Flavor Base & Mix-ins
- 100 g walnuts, halves or pieces
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml pomegranate molasses
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g kosher salt
Garnish
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml pomegranate molasses
- 30 g pomegranate seeds, fresh arils
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 169 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 248 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Potassium
- 341 mg
- Calcium
- 30 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
- Phosphorus
- 76 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 68 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 54 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 40 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 52 mcg
- Water
- 115 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Prick the aubergines a few times with a fork to prevent them from bursting. Place the whole aubergines and red bell peppers on the baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until the skins are blackened and the flesh feels completely soft and collapsed.
Transfer the hot, roasted aubergines and peppers to a mixing bowl and cover tightly with a plate or plastic wrap. Let rest for 15 minutes to allow the steam to loosen the skins.
While the vegetables are steaming, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until deeply fragrant. Stir frequently to prevent scorching, then set aside to cool.
Peel the charred skins from the aubergines and peppers. Discard the skins, stems, and the inner seed core of the peppers. Place the flesh in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and let drain for 10 minutes to remove excess bitter liquids.
In a food processor, pulse the cooled toasted walnuts, garlic cloves, and fresh parsley until finely chopped but not powdery.
Add the drained aubergine and pepper flesh, ground cinnamon, 30ml extra virgin olive oil, 15ml pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and salt to the processor. Pulse 5 to 6 times until thoroughly combined but still retaining a slightly chunky, rustic texture.
Transfer the dip to a wide serving dish. Using the back of a spoon, create shallow swirls or wells across the surface.
Drizzle the remaining 15ml of extra virgin olive oil and 15ml of pomegranate molasses into the swirls. Scatter the fresh pomegranate seeds evenly over the top before serving.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve a true restaurant-quality depth of flavor, consider charring the aubergines and peppers directly over an open gas stovetop flame or on a charcoal grill before finishing them in the oven.
- Pomegranate molasses can vary significantly in its sweetness and acidity depending on the brand. Taste the dip after the first pulse and adjust the lemon juice or molasses accordingly.
- Resist the temptation to turn the food processor on continuously. A pulsy, stop-and-go approach prevents the dip from becoming a gummy puree, preserving the delightful crunch of the walnuts.
- If you find raw garlic too pungent, roast the whole, unpeeled garlic cloves alongside the vegetables on the baking sheet, then squeeze the softened sweet garlic paste directly into the processor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible but may slightly alter the texture, making it more watery upon thawing.
Troubleshooting
Dip is too watery and fails to hold its shape on a plate
Cause: The roasted vegetables were not drained sufficiently after peeling
Fix: Stir in an extra 20g of finely crushed toasted walnuts or plain breadcrumbs to absorb the excess moisture
Prevention: Allow the peeled flesh to sit in a sieve for at least 10 minutes, gently pressing down to extract liquid
Dip tastes excessively bitter
Cause: Charred skin fragments were left behind or the aubergine was over-mature and seeded heavily
Fix: Add a small pinch of sugar or an extra half teaspoon of pomegranate molasses to counterbalance the bitterness
Prevention: Thoroughly peel the vegetables and scoop out large seed pockets from mature aubergines
Cultural Context
This mezze acts as a culinary bridge between two iconic Levantine dishes: the smoky, aubergine-centric Baba Ghanoush and the sweet, nutty, pepper-based Syrian Muhammara. The use of pomegranate molasses is a defining hallmark of Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, prized for imparting a complex balance of deep fruitiness and astringent tartness.
