Portuguese Sweet Red Pepper Paste Massa De Pimentão Food

PORTUGUESE SWEET RED PEPPER PASTE (MASSA DE PIMENTãO)

Steps:

• Set a colander inside a large noncorrosive pan or dish with sides. (You may also use a wooden produce crate with narrow spaces between the slats found at a local produce market as a colander; you would be half-way to Portugal in your mind, at least.).
• Pour a 1-inch layer of salt into the colander to form the base. Some salt will seep out.).
• Place a layer of peppers, skin side up, on the salt, pressing the peppers into the salt. UNCURL EVEN THE SMALLEST PART OF THE PEPPER, otherwise mold will form.
• Cover with a 1/2-inch layer of salt and the remaining peppers, ending with another 1/2-inch layer of salt. Place a heavy dish or bowl on top to weight it down.
• Let stand for up to 5 days to allow the moisture to drain from the peppers. After the fourth day, the peppers should be thinner, about 1/4-inch or less. The salt will be damp and the amount of liquid draining will be barely a trickle.
• Shake off the excess salt and process the peppers briefly with either a hand-cranked grinder, food processor, or blender. The texture will not be smooth -- more like coarsely ground tomatoes.
• Fill the sterilized jars, leaving about an inch at the top. Pour olive oil over the top to a depth of 1/2 inch. Close the jar tightly and refrigerate.
• To use massa de pimentão, simply push aside the congealed olive oil with a spoon, remove what you need, replacing the oil and adding more, if necessary. Use sparingly.

PORTUGUESE HOT PEPPER PASTE (MASSA DE MALAGUETA)

Steps:

• Remove and discard the green caps and stems of the peppers but do not discard the seeds. Finely chop the peppers either by hand, or in a grinder or food processor. Transfer the chopped peppers to a medium bowl. Stir in the salt (and vinegar, if using), mixing thoroughly.
• Let the mixture stand in this bowl (covered) for 8 days in the refrigerator, giving the mixture a few turns every day.
• On the eighth day, pack the mixture into a sterlized jar, top it off with 1/2-inch of olive oil and refrigerate.

SWEET PEPPER PASTE (MASSA DE PIMENTãO)

Steps:

• 1. Wash peppers and remove the stems, seeds and white ribbing. Cut the peppers into about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick strips. Place a layer of pepper strips into the bottom of a bowl and generously sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the rest of the pepper strips, salting in between each layer. Cover tightly with a towel and leave out at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
• 2. Some recipes suggest curing the peppers up to 6 days, but when you don't have enough time, 12-24 hours is sufficient for good flavor.
• 3. Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC).
• 4. Drain the peppers of excess liquid. Put the peppers into an oven safe dish or on a baking tray to slow roast for 1 ½ to 2 hours in the oven. Remove the peppers and cool to room temperature.
• 5. Using your fingers, remove the outside skin from the peppers. Place the peeled pepper strips and peeled garlic cloves into a food processor or blender. If a food processor is unavailable, use a pestle and mortar or other tool to grind the peppers into a paste.
• 6. Blend the peppers for 30 seconds to make a thick paste, add in half the olive oil and blend again for another 30 seconds. Add the rest of the oil to the pepper paste and blend for another minute or until smooth.