Ezme (Spicy Tomato and Walnut Spread)

Ezme is the boldest member of the meze table, a fine-chopped paste of tomato, green pepper, onion, and garlic with walnuts and a hit of pomegranate molasses. It is a specialty of the southeast, where the food is famously spicy, and the heat is part of the charm. Every meze house guards its own version, and the variations are as many as the cooks. A spoonful of pepper paste deepens the color and flavor, but the fresh vegetables do most of the work.

Smoky heat in every spoonful

The texture is coarse and juicy rather than smooth, with the walnuts adding crunch and the pomegranate molasses a tart, fruity depth. It is spicy, bright, and almost impossibly good scooped onto fresh bread. Chop everything by hand for the best texture, and let the ezme rest for an hour so the flavors melt together before serving. If you cannot find pomegranate molasses, a little balsamic glaze is a decent stand-in.

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