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You can use a variety of dried chiles for this recipe. The proportions of chile and spice is totally up to you. In Morocco, every family has their own version of this spice paste. The roasted red pepper adds a sweetness that tames this one down a little bit.
You can also purchase Harissa from Alili, a purveyor of Moroccan products.

3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 Ancho Chiles
3 New Mexico Chiles
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and deseeded
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons coriander
pinch cinnamon
pinch ground mace
Lemon zest and juice (Optional)

Lightly toast the chiles in a dry skillet, transfer to a bowl, and cover with very hot water.
When they are soft and tender, drain them of the soaking liquid and remove their stems. Roughly chop them.
In a food processor, mince the garlic. Add the roughly chopped chiles and salt and continue to process.
Roughly chop the bell pepper and add to the mixture. Pour in the olive oil to keep the mixture moving.
Add the spices, lemon zest, and juice, and process until the mixture is smooth.