Classic Hummus

We rarely made our own hummus at home when we lived in Israel. Why? - because it is available fresh and delicious in many hummus joints, usually close to home and at a reasonable price, so why even bother pre-soaking the peas for a day and then cooking them for hours?

When we moved to the United States, first to a small town in TX, we had no choice but to roll up our sleeves and learn how to master the art of hummus making. Hummus is such an important staple in our home, that over the years we developed tricks that helped us make the process of hummus making effortless.

It’s true that today the hummus shelves in grocery stores are overloaded with a wide selection, but refrigerated store-bought hummus tastes nothing like homemade fresh, and warmly served. We share here with you all the prep details, confident that if you’ll follow this recipe, you’ll find hummus making to be easy, inexpensive, and satisfying - just the way this humble dish is meant to be.

serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (15-16 oz),

OR -

• 1 cup (200 gr) dried chickpeas (preferably small peas) start the prep steps a day ahead :

-Place peas in a large bowl and soak in cold water for 12-24 hrs.

-Drain and rinse the soaked chickpea and transfer to a large pot.

-Pour cold water to cover by at least 2 inches (about 5 cups), and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

-Bring to a boil on high heat, reduce to medium heat, and cook (uncovered)

for 1.5-2 hrs., until peas are completely soft. Use a spoon to remove any scum that rises to the surface.

• 1/2 cup (4 Tablespoons) plain tahini

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or sweet paprika (optional)

• Olive oil (for plating)

• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• For serving (optional): Pita bread, hard-boiled eggs, tomato wedges, cracked olives, and pickles.

Preparation

1. Set aside 1- 2 Tablespoons of the cooked peas (for serving).

2. Remove excess cooking water (leaving some), add garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and puree using a food processor or a hand blender.

3. Add in the tahini, and blend it all together.

4. Transfer the hummus to a shallow serving bowl.

5. Form a crater in the center and drizzle the olive oil.

6. Add the reserved peas, scatter the chopped parsley, and dust with ground cumin or paprika.

Notes

• We recommend soaking and cooking a large amount of chickpeas, even if you are not expecting a crowd. Cooked chickpeas freeze very well, so separate them into Ziploc bags (keep in equal portions and write them down on the bag – you still want to be able to follow the original recipe). When you are ready to make another batch of hummus, thaw the content of the bag in the microwave, then add the remaining ingredients and blend.

• Cooking the chickpeas in an instant pot: use the multigrain setting for 20 min (skip the baking soda).

• Food processor vs hand blender: if you wish to get a very smooth and silky hummus – use a food processor. We personally prefer a grainy texture, and the hand blender is perfect for reaching that.