Taktouka (cooked pepper and tomato salad)

Method

1. 1

   Roast the green peppers over an open flame or in the oven until the skins blacken all over, then peel and cut them into strips.

2. 2

   Peel the tomatoes (blanching them first makes this easier) and cut them into small dice.

3. 3

   Fry the crushed garlic in the olive oil for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and cook until their liquid has evaporated.

4. 4

   Add the roasted, peeled peppers with the cumin, salt and hot red pepper, and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth, almost a purée.

5. 5

   Serve the taktouka cold or lukewarm, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander and an extra drizzle of olive oil; this cooked salad is one of the best-known traditional Moroccan starters, especially associated with Fez and Taza.