The Shabbat Table · Make-ahead · A little effort
From my kitchen
This is the matbucha I make for Shabbat: thick, rich and glossy, with little pieces of pepper in every spoonful.
The secret is patience. Before the seasoned oil goes in, there should be absolutely no tomato liquid left.
Ingredients
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into very tiny squares
• 1-2 long hot peppers, not jalapeños, finely diced
• About 1 whole head of garlic, cloves thinly sliced – or more, because more is better
• About 10 large ripe tomatoes or 20 very small tomatoes
• Olive oil, divided
• Salt
• 1.5-2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1.5-2 tablespoons spicy paprika
• A little chili flakes
• Cayenne pepper, optional
• Black pepper
• About 1 teaspoon cumin, optional
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, optional
Directions
1. Add 2 red bell peppers to a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil and sauté.
2. Add 1-2 finely diced long hot peppers and a small pinch of salt. Keep sautéing until the peppers are very soft.
3. Add about 1 whole head of thinly sliced garlic and another drizzle of olive oil. Continue cooking until everything is soft and flavorful.
4. Blend about 10 large ripe tomatoes or 20 very small tomatoes. Choose tomatoes that are soft, ripe, and deeply red rather than orange. The matbucha reduces a lot, so this generous amount is intentional.
5. For a smoother texture, you can peel the tomatoes first: cut a small X into the bottom of each one, place them in boiling water for about 90 seconds, then slip off the skins. Or skip this and blend them with the skins on.
6. Pour the blended tomatoes into the pot. Add a little salt, mix, and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes reduce completely and there is absolutely no tomato liquid left. This takes patience.
7. In a measuring cup, mix about 1/2 cup olive oil with 1.5-2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1.5-2 tablespoons spicy paprika, black pepper, more salt to taste, and a little chili flakes. Add cayenne, about 1 teaspoon cumin, and the juice of 1/2 lemon if you like. Cumin adds flavor if you like cumin.
8. Once there is no tomato liquid left, pour in the seasoned oil mixture and stir well.
9. Continue cooking over medium heat until the matbucha is thick, rich, glossy, and tastes ready. Adjust the seasoning however you like.
Adina’s Notes
Do not rush the reducing step. There must be absolutely no tomato liquid left before the seasoned oil goes in.
Ingredient swaps
For a milder matbucha, use less long hot pepper and skip the optional cayenne. Cumin and lemon are optional, so leave either out if that tastes more like you.
Make it Shabbat
This recipe is make-ahead friendly and belongs on the Shabbat table.
Serve It With
More recipes are coming. As Adina adds them, this section will link straight to the dishes she actually serves alongside her matbucha.
From my kitchen to yours.
