Easy Romesco Sauce Recipe
Turn stale bread into something wonderful and make this Romesco-inspired sauce. Smoky, tangy and vibrantly coloured, Romesco originally hails from Spain. It’s lovely with just about everything, but particularly good with cooked veg or prawns as part of a tapas-style spread. This recipe will make a small bowlful, which can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6). Put the almonds on a baking tray, then tear the bread into chunks and put it on a separate tray, Drizzle the bread with the light oil and toss with your hands to coat, then put both trays in the hot oven. Check the almonds after eight minutes (and turn the bread pieces over with a fish slice while you’re there). Check again after another 3-4 minutes; you want the bread to be lightly golden all over and the almonds to be smelling toasted and aromatic, darkening in colour a bit without burning. Take the cooked almonds and bread out of the oven and allow to cool slightly. Put the peppers, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, vinegar and a few turns of the pepper mill into the bowl of a food processor, then tip in the cooled bread and almonds and pulse - adding the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream - until smooth. When the sauce is the right consistency, check the seasoning and adjust if you like, then spoon into a serving dish or refrigerate until needed.