Spicy Red Pepper, Lentil and Walnut Dip

We still have gorgeous, local bell peppers in season here, so I’m taking advantage of the last ruby gems to make this very flavourful and satisfying dip! If you’ve tried my Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip from my first cookbook, you will love this version, boosted with red lentils, tahini, and made spicier with Aleppo pepper. This is the best thing to cook up extra lentils for, and feel free to add more as desired.

Spicy Red Pepper Lentil and Walnut Dip

Ingredients

3 large red bell peppers
¼ cup red lentils soaked if possible
½ cup / 70g raw walnuts
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. Tahini
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
½ tsp. fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C.
Drain and rinse the lentils. Place them in a pot and add plenty of fresh water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer with a pinch of salt, and let cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain.
While the lentils are simmering, cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds. Place them cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until they are blackened and blistered in a couple of places. As soon as they come out of the oven, transfer the peppers into a bowl and cover it with a dish so that the peppers steam inside. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, turn down the oven temperature to 325°F / 160°C.
Spread the walnuts out on a separate baking sheet and toast for 7 to 9 minutes. Make sure to keep a close eye on them as they can burn easily. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the walnuts are roasting, pulse the clove of garlic in the food processor until finely minced. Peel the skins off the peppers (discard them) and transfer to the food processor, along with the tahini, lemon zest and juice, cumin, Aleppo pepper, salt, cooked lentils and walnuts.
Process until the desired consistency is reached – I like it a bit chunky. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Place the dip in a bowl and garnish it with fresh parsley if desired, and a couple of walnut pieces.
Serve with pita chips, crackers, or veggies of your choice. Say thank you and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to seven days.