I am sure many will agree that the only thing better than cheese is melted cheese. And with easter around the corner this Baked Brie with Fried Dates, Dukkah and Aleppo Pepper is a melty, sweet, savoury and spicy dish that you can serve as a delicious sharing starter to welcome everyone at your table.
The recipe is totally fuss free. Score the brie (or camembert if you prefer) and pop it in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or so. If you prefer to use your air fryer, absolutely use it and cut down on the time. While the cheese bakes, fry the dates in some butter, then add honey and a good pinch of salt to counteract the sweetness. Spoon the buttery dates on top of the hot cheese, sprinkle with dukkah, a good pinch of Aleppo pepper and serve with crusty bread, crackers or a crispy pita chips.
I make my own pita chips by cutting them into quarters, separate the layers of the pita, drizzle lightly with some oil and pop them in the air fryer. Fry for a few minutes, checking regularly and giving them a shake until they are crispy and golden. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, some smoked chili flakes will do or omit it completely if you don’t want any spice to the dish.
You can use store-bought dukkah or have a look at this pistachio dukkah I made all the way back in 2014. Dukkah is derived from the Arabic word “to pound” and is a spice mix served as a dry “dip” which has become very popular outside of its birthplace, Egypt. Most retailers now sell some version of dukkah but it is so incredibly easy to make at home and the fragrance when making it is pretty special.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for a Baked Brie with Fried Dates, Dukkah and Aleppo Pepper. Remember to follow and share your pics with me on Instagram. I recently had the pleasure to chat to Russel Wasserfall about my foray into ceramics and my photography career on A Table in the Corner podcast. Click here to have a listen.
You can also find a few more of my favourite recipes using dukkah by clicking this link Enjoy!
Ingredients
- A wheel of Brie or Camembert
- About 10 dates pitted and halved
- Big knob of butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- good pinch of sea salt
- 2 tbsp dukkah
- good pinch of Aleppo pepper optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 200 C
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Cut a cross in the cheese and place in an ovenproof dish
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Bake for 10 - 15 mins until bubbling and melted
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Meanwhile melt the butter
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Add the dates and fry for a few minutes
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Add the honey and salt and fry for another few minutes
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Top the cheese with the dates and drizzle with any butter in the pan
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Sprinkle with the dukkah and Aleppo pepper
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Serve with crusty bread
