Homemade Pimenta Moida Recipe Portuguese Pimento Paste

HOMEMADE PIMENTA MOIDA RECIPE ( PORTUGUESE PIMENTO PASTE)

Steps:

• Rinse each pepper and cut into halves.
• Remove stem and seeds, pat dry the peppers and set aside.
• Add the peppers and salt into a food processor and blend until paste like consistency.
• If you don't have a food processor, you can use any type of grinder. Grind the pepper then add the salt and mix until well combine.
• Transfer the pimento paste ( pimenta moida) into a bowl, you will notice it start to boil.
• Cover the bowl and let the peppers ferment at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• The pimenta moida will be ready once the fermentation stops and it no longer looks like the peppers are boiling.
• Add in the vinegar and stir until well combined.
• Transfer the pepper paste into cleaned glass jars with air tight lids.
• You can bypass the fermentation process by boiling the crushed peppers in a medium size pot for about 5 minutes. Then add the salt and vinegar and mix together. Transfer to air tight glass jars.
• Keep stored at room temperature until ready to use. Once jar is opened the pimento paste needs to be refrigerated.

PIMENTA MOIDA (PORTUGUESE RED PEPPER SAUCE)

Steps:

• Wash and stem the peppers. Remove seeds if you don't want the "heat".
• Place peppers and salt in a food processor and blend.
• Place the ground peppers in a medium saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and pour into a clean jar. Cool.
• When cool, top with a layer of olive oil, put lid on jar and refrigerate up to 3 months.

PIMENTO MOIDA

Steps:

• Remove and discard the stems from the chiles, and deseed half. Coarsely chop the chiles. Place in a blender along with the salt, and process until it becomes a semi-smooth mixture -- still with some texture. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the peppers soften a bit, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar and water. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to clean jars with tight-fitting lids. Top with a bit of olive oil, if desired, then refrigerate the pepper sauce until ready to use; it will keep up to several months.

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.