Yeah, big fan! Before tonight, it had been some time since I last made hummus, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why. I suppose it's probably because when I'm at the market, I stroll down the aisle with the tahini...wince...and keep on moving. But in all honesty, if you can spring for it, then buy it; it is so worth it! I like my hummus nice and garlicky...that heat, that punch of flavor that spreads pleasantly and territorially over your tongue...and lingers, even after you've brushed your teeth. Twice.
My recipe calls for dried chickpeas, but if you have canned ones in your pantry already, then you might as well use them...you will be done making this in no time at all! If you're not as big a fan of garlic as I am (gasp!) or if you are taking this to a get-together where people don't want that big garlic smell, then just decrease the number of garlic cloves. You can even substitute roasted garlic in place of the raw garlic for a milder garlic flavor. And I know, I know...how much juice "exactly" is in a lemon? It varies...some are juicy, some are not...so, buy an extra lemon and taste it as you make it (always important anyway). The lemon brightens up that earthy flavor of the chickpeas and cuts that pungent garlic.
My personal favorite way to eat hummus is to drizzle it with some olive oil, sprinkle it with some paprika & maybe a few cilantro leaves and scoop it up with some pitas that have been baked until golden. If I have the foresight, I also like to add some steamed broccoli & cauliflower that I put in a skillet with some olive oil, red pepper flakes and finish with some Parmesan & a squeeze of lemon. Put that on a plate along with the hummus and the pitas and tuck in!
Hummus
by
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: n/a
Keywords: appetizer condiment snack chickpeas Greek
Ingredients (1.5 quarts)
- 4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained of cooking liquid
- 2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- juice of 2-1/2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 to 1-1/3 cups water
Instructions
Place all ingredients in food processor and process until it is a smooth puree. If it seems to stiff, then add a little more water at a time until it seems loose enough. Taste and adjust any seasoning as needed. Serve as is or drizzle w/ olive oil & sprinkle w/ paprika. You can garnish w/ a few whole chickpeas & some parsley or cilantro. It's also good w/ a little seasoned, cooked ground beef.
I like to scoop mine up with warm pitas. (Preheat oven to 375° F. If you have a pizza stone, put in oven to heat, if not, use a baking sheet. Rub or brush some pitas with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper or herbs, if you wish. When oven is nice & hot, place your pitas on a single layer on your stone/sheet pan and bake a couple of minutes until golden on bottom; flip over and cook a couple more minutes until golden all over. Do not over bake. When you bite into the pita, it will be crisp on the outside and chewy & steamy on the inside. Eat right away!)
This recipe makes a big batch...do you sense a theme throughout the past couple of posts...what can I say, I like to share (remember, if everybody is eating it, there will be nobody to assault with your 'eau de garlic'). I also like to have plenty to eat for the next couple of days or pack in lunches, etc.
This will keep great for a few days if refrigerated in airtight containers. Also, if you don't have sesame oil, or don't like the distinct flavor of sesame oil, you can omit it and just put more olive oil in its place.
And alas, if you want to make a smaller batch, a 1/2 recipe will turn out just as tasty.
