Red Pepper & Walnut Dip

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  • 1 large red pepper or 1 cup chopped frozen red pepper, thawed
  • ½ cup chopped scallions
  • 1 teaspoon fresh squeeze lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 3 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ cups walnuts, lightly toasted
  • 4-6 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

If using a fresh pepper, char on all sides directly on a gas burner or roast at 400 degrees until blistered all over. Transfer to a bowl until cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin and remove stem and seeds. Roughly chop pepper.

Combine chopped pepper, scallions, lemon juice, cumin, salt, 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons olive oil and all but 2 walnuts in a food processor. Combine until mostly smooth.

Add 4 tablespoons bread crumbs and pulse to combine. If mixture is still too loose to hold its shape, add remaining bread crumbs and pulse again. Season to taste with salt and pepper flakes.

Scrape into a bowl and make a well in the center. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in the well. Crush the reserved walnuts and sprinkle over the top.

Serve with warm pita triangles.