Photo to come hopefully, my matbucha is on the gas, with a few more hours to go! Sorry about that, ran out of time and the matbucha was devoured, better luck (to me) next time!
At long last I finally have a good basic recipe for Moroccan matbucha! Matbucha is a cooked tomato salad found on the tables of Sephardic Jews from North Africa, and is an Israeli staple as well. You'll find lots of ready made versions at the grocery store, but of course nothing compares to homemade. And of course there are many versions of this salad, depending on the family's origins, be it Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, to name a few.
Funny enough, I thought my husband didn't like matbucha—well it turns out he just didn't like my matbucha! So a few weeks ago when I had a bunch of very ripe tomoatos that needed cooking, I finally asked for a recipe from a reliable source, and the results were perfect. Phew. You can make your salad on the hot side or omit the hot pepper for those who aren't quite up to it!
You'll Need:
- 10 ripe tomotoes
- 1 large green peppper
- 1 head of garlic (at least)
- 1/2 hot green pepper (optional)
- a drizzle of olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- (and for those who are wondering, no, you really don't need Paprika!)
Preparation:
- Place tomatoes in a bowl or pot, and pour hot boiling water over them such that they are covered. Let sit until it is possible to remove the skins easily.
- Peel and slice garlic and place in bottom of pot
- Cut tomatoes into quarters and place on top of garlic
- Chop green pepper (and hot pepper if desired) into into small cubes and add to pot
- Place pot on low flame and cook until all of the water has been cooked off and you're left with something similar to a chunky tomato sauce. This may take around four hours, so be patient!
- Taste and add salt and olive oil to your liking.
- Enjoy with crackers, or pita bread, or as one of the array of Moroccan salads with which you'll grace your table!
