Recipe Archives->Middle Eastern->Red Pepper Paste

Turkish Red Pepper Paste 
makes 2 cups

2 lb mildly hot red chilis
2 lb sweet red bell peppers
coarse salt
2 12x17 inch sheets of parchment paper
1 1/4 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil

Wash the peppers; halve lengthwise, seed, and remove the membranes.
Coarsely grind in a food processor, to yield about 10 cups. Toss
with 3 Tbsp coarse salt and spread out on 2 parchment-lined baking
sheets.

Preheat the oven to 175F. Place the trays in the oven and allow
the peppers to dry, about 6 hours. You will have about 2 cups.

Place half the peppers in a double thickness of cheesecloth and
squeeze hard to emit excess moisture. Repeat with the remaining
peppers.

In a food processor, blend the peppers with the sugar and half the
oil. Add coarse salt to taste; the pepper paste should taste slightly
salty. Pack into 2 dry, small glass jars. Top with the remaining
oil, close tightly, and refrigerate.

Let the pepper paste mature for about a week before using. To avoid
mold, always keep the paste covered with oil. If mold develops,
simply remove it and discard; the remainder of the paste will still
be good. To store in the freezer: Individually wrap one-tablespoon
dollops of paste in plastic. Place all in a freezer bag, press out
air, and store in the freezer.

Printable version: red-pepper-paste.txt.