Recipes: Classic Hummus

Did you know the proper way to say hummus is “who-mus”? Who knew? In 2013, D and I went to the Middle East and learned that not only does hummus taste a thousand times better over there, but that we had been saying it wrong the whole time. Anyway, this post is actually about making hummus at home, and not about how to say it. It’s quick and easy to make and it’s way tastier than the store bought stuff… not to mention free of preservatives. And it’s healthy. What’s not to like? While it might not be quite as good as what we experienced on vacation, it’s still a pretty good go-to recipe. Recipe below…

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups chickpeas
1-2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

4-5 tablespoons of water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (plus some to drizzle on the top before serving)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Minced parsley
Paprika

Instructions:

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. If you have time, remove the skins by squeezing each chickpea between your forefinger and thumb and push to pop off skin. Discard the skins, and set aside a handful of chickpeas for serving. Removing the skins can be a pain, but it will result in a creamier final product. However, if you don’t have time to deal with the skins, don’t worry about it.
In a food processor, add the garlic to mince. Then add the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt and process until combined. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 4 to 5 tablespoons water to reach desired consistency. Process until smooth. Add more water gradually if the mixture is too dry/thick.
Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil, the remaining chick peas, and a sprinkle of paprika and minced parsley.
Serve with pita bread, veggies, or tortilla chips as desired.