This is the third in a series of sharing dishes to be eaten with flat brad flavoured with za’atar. Sweet, roasted peppers are pounded and spiked with the flavours of fresh garlic, thyme, sweet smoked paprika and chilli. Walnuts give the paste texture and a dash of vinegar balances the flavours.
The bean mash couldn’t be simpler. Canned cannellini beans mashed with oil, garlic and thyme.
This is another recipe adapted from ‘Simple’ by Yotam Ottolenghi.
Seves 4 as a starter as part of a mezze
Ingredients
2 large red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp picked thyme leaves
tiny pinch chilli flakes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
30g walnut halves
salt and pepper
BEAN MASH
50ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed with skin on
3 thyme springs
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained and liquid reserved
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C fan.
Mix the chopped peppers with the oil and spread out on a baking tray. Roast for 15 minutes, and then add the garlic. Continue to roast for 15 minutes. The skin of the peppers should be brown and a little blistered. Remove from the oven, allow to cool a little.
Place the peppers and garlic in a food processor together with the thyme leaves, paprika, chilli flakes, vinegar, walnuts and half a teaspoon of salt. Process to a rough paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set to one side.
To make the bean mash. Place the olive oil in a small saucepan and place on a low heat. Add the crushed garlic clove and thyme sprigs and fry gently for a few minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan and remove the papery skin.
Add the beans to the bowl of a food processor together with the oil, garlic and a pinch of salt. Process until smooth and add some of the liquid from the can if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
To assemble the dish: spread the cannellini bean mash on a plate and spoon the red pepper paste over the top. Finish with the sprig of crispy thyme leaves.
