AI-generated image
Zviti (pounded pepper and flatbread mash)
Zviti: Bou Saâda's fiery mash of charred chillies, tomato and garlic, pounded with bread
Fire-blistered green chillies, a few tomatoes and a fist of garlic go into a wooden mortar, and the cook in Bou Saâda or M'Sila pounds them with torn flatbread until everything turns into a coarse, hot, smoky mash. Zviti is served straight from that wooden bowl, sometimes in a carved mortar the size of a salad bowl, and eaten by hand with more bread, often on cold evenings in the steppe towns. The flavour is sharp and grassy from the chillies, sweet from the charred tomato and soothed by plenty of olive oil. Choose a mix of hot and milder long chillies to set the heat you like. Don't leave the charred skins on the peppers and tomatoes: they turn the mash bitter and stringy. Chef's tip: pound rather than blend; a food processor whips it into a watery soup, so if you must use one, pulse briefly and add the bread last.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 6 long green chilliesa mix of hot and mild
- 4 cloves garlicpeeled
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 5 ½ oz semolina flatbreada day old, such as aghroum or kesra, torn into pieces
- 4 tbsp olive oilplus extra to serve
- ½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Char 6 long green chillies, 1 green bell pepper and 3 ripe tomatoes directly over a gas flame, under a hot grill or in a dry cast-iron pan over a high heat, turning, until the skins are blistered and black in patches and the flesh is soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
12 minStep 2: Put them in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 5 minutes so the steam loosens the skins.
5 minStep 3: Peel off most of the charred skin; a few black flecks add flavour. Pull out the stalks and, for less heat, the seeds.
Step 4: In a large mortar, pound 4 cloves garlic with 1 tsp coarse salt to a paste.
Step 5: Add the chillies and pepper and pound until broken down into a rough pulp. Add the tomatoes and pound again.
Step 6: Add 5 ½ oz semolina flatbread a handful at a time with 4 tbsp olive oil, pounding and turning, until the mash is thick enough to hold a scoop, about 3 minutes. If it is dry, add a spoon of warm water.
3 minStep 7: Taste, add more salt and the ½ tsp ground cumin if you like, and serve warm in the mortar or a bowl with more olive oil poured over and extra bread for scooping.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zviti (pounded pepper and flatbread mash) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Vietnamese
Spinach with mushrooms
A bright green, savoury puree of potato, mushrooms and fresh spinach cooked in home-made baby stock. Thick and smooth, it's a good way to get iron-rich greens into babies of 8–18 months. Serve warm; spare portions freeze well.
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican