Harissa Paste

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2
Remove stems from chile peppers and cut them in half. Remove all or some of the seeds if you want a milder harissa.

Step 3
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add caraway, cumin, and coriander; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 4
Toss chile peppers, toasted spices, and garlic with 1/4 cup olive oil in a large baking dish.

Step 5
Bake in the preheated oven until chile peppers are very soft but not burned, about 1 hour. Stir a few times to ensure even cooking. Let cool.

Step 6
Transfer mixture to a food processor and pur?e until paste-like but still a little chunky. Season with salt.

Step 7
Spoon into a sterilized glass jar and level the top. Add enough olive oil so the surface is covered and the harissa won't dry out. Seal and refrigerate.