Taktouka (Moroccan Cooked Tomato and Pepper Salad)

Taktouka is a warm, softly spiced salad of roasted peppers and tomatoes cooked down until jammy, a fixture on Moroccan mezze spreads alongside bread for scooping. It’s simple, but the smoky peppers make it disappear fast.

Ingredients

• 4 green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Roast the peppers
   Char the peppers over a flame or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
2. Sauté the garlic
   Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté the garlic for 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes
   Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened and jammy.
4. Add peppers and spices
   Add the chopped peppers, cumin, paprika, and cayenne if using. Simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Season
   Season with salt to taste and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Finish and serve
   Stir in the cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.