Ezme – Fresh & Spicy Appetizer

Here’s a fresh, delicious small plate or “mezze” you can enjoy before a meal or as a side dish. It is very easy to make, and requires only a few ingredients. It is comparable to a bruschetta, just a little more on the spicy side!

One of the ingredients listed is pepper paste, also known as “salça.” As I have mentioned in other recipes, this can be purchased at a Turkish or Mediterranean grocery store. If you aren’t able to go to one, you can use tomato paste and little red pepper instead. 

Nar ekşisi is another ingredient that you can find at one of these markets. It is a syrup made from pomegranate that is typically used in salads. It has a sour, and sweet taste. If you’re unable to get this, you can use a balsamic glaze. But you can also add ½ – 1 tsp of lemon juice, as the balsamic glaze is more sweet than it is sour. 

Here’s all that you’ll need:

• 3 roma tomatoes, or 2 larger tomatoes
• 1 large chili pepper or Anaheim/banana pepper
• ½ a medium onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pepper paste (or tomato paste with ¼-½ tsp red pepper)
• Approx 1 tbsp nar ekşisi (or balsamic glaze with ½ – 1 tsp lemon juice)

Cut your tomatoes into very small pisces and place into a strainer. You’ll want to let the juice from the tomato drain out as you cut your other vegetables.

Cut your onion and pepper into very small piece and place into a bowl. In a separate bowl, add the olive oil and pepper paste and mix thoroughly. Add the mixture and the tomatoes into the same bowl as the onion and pepper and mix thoroughly. 

Drizzle with nar ekşisi or balsamic glaze and garnish with a couple of olives if desired. Serve with your favorite bread, or enjoy as is.

Afiyet olsun!

Print Recipe

Ezme - Fresh & Spicy Appetizer

Small Bites – Mediterranean, Turkish

By Janice Yucel – Serves: 6

Prep Time: 25 Minutes – Cooking Time: 0 Minutes – Total Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

• 3 roma tomatoes, or 2 larger tomatoes
• 1 large chili pepper or Anaheim/banana pepper
• ½ a medium onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pepper paste (or tomato paste with ¼-½ tsp red pepper)
• Approx 1 tbsp nar ekşisi (or balsamic glaze with ½ - 1 tsp lemon juice)

Instructions

1

Cut your tomatoes into very small pisces and place into a strainer.

2

Cut your onion and pepper into very small piece and place into a bowl.

3

In a separate bowl, add the olive oil and pepper paste and mix thoroughly.

4

Add the mixture and the tomatoes into the same bowl as the onion and pepper and mix thoroughly. 

5

Drizzle with nar ekşisi or balsamic glaze and garnish with a couple of olives if desired.

6

Serve with your favorite bread, or enjoy as is.