Hummus!

Hummus has for a long time been one of my favorite snack foods. When it’s done well it tastes heavenly. Unfortunately, when it’s done poorly it tastes bitter, or like oil. In neither case something you really want to eat. I was having some friends over tonight, and decided I should try my hand at it. I’d never tried before, but the recipes I found online seemed fairly straightforward. I ended up selecting one that was part of a sandwich recipe on epicurious, but I changed it around a little to suit my tastes (as well as doubling it). One thing I did ad was powdered sumac, a slightly tart, Middle-Eastern spice I was able to get at a local specialty store. The Tahini was a little more expensive, but if you live near a decent grocery store that sells it, you will probably do better than I did. Serve this with pita wedges that have been toasted in the oven.

Hummus

Makes 4 ½ cups

2 16 oz. cans chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, juices reserved
4 cloves garlic
½ cup well stirred
Tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
2 tsp Sumac Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Finely chop the garlic, then mash it into a paste with a pinch of salt.

2. Put the chickpeas, garlic paste, Tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.

3. Add 6 Tbs of the reserved chickpea juice (use water if you didn't save it), the parsley, the sumac powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse to combine.

4. Enjoy