Matbucha: Slow-Simmered Moroccan Pepper and Tomato Sauce

Matbucha is more than just a sauce; it is a versatile concentrate of flavor that sits somewhere between a rich appetizer and a hearty meal base. When finished, it has a dense, jam-like consistency where the natural sweetness of slow-cooked tomatoes meets the sharp heat of chili and the earthy warmth of Middle Eastern spices. The secret to a proper Matbucha is long, slow simmering. This process evaporates excess moisture, allowing the ingredients to fuse into a cohesive, thick preserve. You can serve it cold as a dip with crusty bread or heat it up as a base for Shakshuka by simply poaching eggs directly in the sauce. Ingredients Tomatoes — 1 kg Red bell pepper — 1 piece Chili peppers — 2 pieces Garlic — 3 cloves Olive oil — 4 tbsp Tomato paste — 1 tbsp Salt — ½ tbsp Sugar — 1 tbsp Sweet paprika — 1 tsp Coriander seeds — ½ tsp Cumin seeds — ½ tsp Step-by-Step Preparation 1. Prepping the TomatoesTo achieve a smooth texture without tough skins, the tomatoes must be peeled. Score a small cross on the bottom of each tomato, blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and immediately plunge them into ice water. The skins will slide right off.