This simple yet unusual appetizer is easy to prepare in just 15 minutes and can be a worthy alternative to hummus or store-bought pâtés. The base consists of accessible ingredients — garlic and apples, and the texture turns out pleasant and slightly uneven thanks to hand mashing. The spread stores well in the refrigerator and is perfect for serving with warm bread or a crispy baguette.
Ingredients
- Garlic — 2.5 heads
- Apples (peeled) — in volume equal to garlic
- Butter — 50 g
- Vegetable oil — 1 tbsp.
- Sesame (raw) — 3 tbsp.
- Cumin (ground) — 0.5 tsp.
- Cream cheese — 2 heaping tbsp.
- Pumpkin seed or sesame urbech — 1 tbsp.
- Cilantro — 0.5 bunch
- Mint — a few leaves
- Lime or lemon — 0.5 pcs.
- Salt, red pepper — to taste
- Za'atar (optional) — 1 tsp.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin seeds — for serving
Preparation
Peel the garlic and prepare the apples: remove the skin, core them, and cut into pieces roughly equal to the garlic cloves.
Heat a pan, melt the butter, adding a little vegetable oil. Add the garlic and sauté it over medium heat until lightly golden. Then add the apples and sesame.
Simmer the mixture until soft — both the garlic and apples should be easily mashed with a fork. Keep an eye on the garlic: smaller cloves should be removed earlier to prevent burning.
Transfer the finished mixture to a bowl along with the oil and sesame. Add cumin, finely chopped cilantro, red pepper, and za'atar if desired. Mash everything with a fork until you achieve a thick, slightly grainy texture.
Add the cream cheese and urbech, mixing thoroughly until smooth. Finally, add a little lime or lemon juice to balance the flavor, and salt to taste if necessary.
Serving
Transfer the spread to a plate, garnishing with sun-dried tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, mint leaves, and a pinch of paprika.
Serve with warm baguette, croutons, or flatbreads — the combination of sweet apples, garlic, and spices makes this appetizer bright and memorable.
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