Spicy tomato dip is very famous starter in south east of Turkey. Most of the restaurants menu provide this delicious meze to accompany Raki ( very similiar Greek drink Uzo ).
Serves 4 people
1 medium onion
1 celeriac
1 large red bell paper
1 large cucumber
3-4 tomatoes chopped very finely
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon
A big bunch of parsley
1 full tbsp tomato paste
1 full tbsp pepper paste ( I prefer extra hot one)
3-4 tbsp virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/4 tbsp ground cumin
black pepper and salt to taste
100 gr crushed walnut (optional)
Remove the skin (plunge them in boiling water for a minute and then cold water and it’ll come off easy) from your tomatoes and de-seed them.
Chop them up as finely as you possibly can
without them turning to mush. This bit must be done by hand.
Grate or whiz in your food processor (do not puree) the cucumber, pepper, onion, chillies, celeriac and squeeze out any excess water then add parsley as finely as you can and add them to your chopped tomatoes.
Add mint, oil, lemon juice, pomegranate, cumin, pepper paste, tomato puree and salt and mix it all up. You can add more lemon juice or oil to your own taste.
Cover it up and put it in the fridge and rest for 2 hours before you serve so all the ingredients blend perfectly.
Antep ezmesi is great as a starter with fresh bread or pitta and you can serve it with barbecue meat, chicken as well.
Afiyet Olsun (Bon Apetit)
