If you want to add a yummy kick to bread, oil and vinegar, this recipe is the one for you. I believe it is originally of Egyptian origin but I first tried dukkah when Paulie brought some back from his visit to Australia. I love spice and mixing up my dipping, sometimes I dip the bread in just olive oil and dukkah, sometimes balsamic and oil, then my favourite is all 3 together. When you dip all 3 you get the sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and the salt and spice element from the dukkah. It is so easy to make and as I have been discovering making these things at home costs a fraction of the price and you can play with the quantity’s to match your own palate. We used a base recipe, tasted and added fennel seeds, it is just down to your own personal preference.I think you could also use this as seasoning or add to breadcrumbs for a crust on meat and fish, I will let you know how it goes once I have tried it.

Ingredients

• 100g blanched hazelnuts
• 100g sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 Tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 Tsp cracked black pepper
•  1 Tsp fine sea salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Spread the hazelnuts over a baking tray and cook in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes or until toasted.
3. Place the toasted hazelnuts in the food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Add to the bowl with the hazelnuts.
5. Place coriander, fennel and cumin seeds in frying pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic and seeds begin to pop. Transfer seeds to a spice grinder (or morta and pestle) and grind. Add the crushed spices, pepper and salt to the hazelnut mixture and mix well.
6. Serve the dukkah with some extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and crusty bread.