Moroccan Taktouka Recipes

MOROCCAN TAKTOUKA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush a small baking sheet lightly with olive oil. Lay peppers on their sides, stems pointing sideways. Place baking sheet in oven and roast peppers for 40 minutes total, carefully turning (with tongs) about halfway through roasting time. When skins are charred and soft, remove baking sheet from oven and let peppers cool enough to handle easily with hands.
• 2. Peel off the charred skins, remove seeds and chop the skinned pepper flesh. Add chopped pepper chunks to a medium saucepan.
• 3. Seed the jalapeño, then mince it. (Use gloves if you have sensitive skin.) You can add more jalapeños for more heat if you prefer spicy condiments. As written, the recipe has a slight kick of "heat", but it's not overly spicy. Add minced jalapeño to the saucepan (with the bell peppers).
• 4. Add diced tomatoes (with liquid), garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt to the saucepan, and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• 5. Once the sauce reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low, and let the sauce simmer steadily for about 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally (at least every 10 minutes to prevent scorching and sticking to pan), until most of the liquid is gone and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
• 6. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and paprika, and stir it into the sauce. Let the Taktouka cook another 15 to 20 minutes or so, stirring every 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if needed.
• 7. Remove from heat, and allow to cool completely. The sauce is best if served at room temperature or slightly chilled. Serve with pita wedges or sliced bread to scoop up the chunky bits of this delicious sauce.

TAKTOUKA - MOROCCAN TOMATO AND PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat grill or grill pan to high.
• • Place the green peppers on grill and turn occasionally every 3 to 4 minutes until each side is scorched (lightly burned) and tender.
• • Remove the green peppers from the grill and set aside to cool.
• • Meanwhile, peel, deseed, and roughly chop the tomatoes into 1 inch pieces.
• • Once the green peppers have reached room temperature, peel and deseed and chop them into 1 inch pieces.
• • In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, spices, herbs, salt and sugar. Cover with a lid for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Stir occasionally.
• • Uncover, add the chopped green peppers and mix all the ingredients together. Leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes until all the liquids evaporate.
• • Enjoy warm or cold, as a dip with bread, a side, or a filling in a sandwich!

TAKTOUKA

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a large frying pan. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the tomatoes and peppers from burning.
• Smash the softened tomatoes with a spoon, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the liquids are reduced to oil. Cook until the salad is well-blended and can be stirred away from the sides of the pan.
• Serve taktouka warm or cold with crusty bread for scooping up the salad.