This is a recipe I have inherited from my mother, who has inherited it from her Italian father. It's the kind of dip you cannot help but dig into intensely and with great pleasure, right before dinner... So you end up having more tomato dip than dinner. And no, just because it’s red it’s not spicy, in fact there is nothing spicy about it! It’s full of flavor and it’s so addictive.

 

Ingredients:

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• 2 cups tomato paste

• 1 block of akkawi cheese or 300 grams, soaked in water for at least 4-6 hours to reduce its saltiness, changing the water every hour

• 1 tbsp of squeezed lemon

• 3/4 tsp cumin

• Two garlic cloves mashed

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and more to top off with

• Arabic or pita bread cut into squares 

 

Directions:

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1. Cut the Arabic or pita bread into squares and toast them in an oven or toaster until crispy.

2. Grate the akkawi cheese.

3. Mix the cheese and the tomato paste together.

4. Add the lemon and cumin.

5. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and mix.

6. Top off the dip with more olive oil, which will help preserve the dip. Keep the dip stored in the fridge, it can last up to 5 days.

7. Serve the dip with the bread squares.