Garlicky Hummus

What's a little garlic among friends is what I always say.....Actually, I only just started saying it after I tasted this stuff...and took it over to some neighbors and forced them to try it.



Personally, I am not a huge fan of chickpeas, so I have never been particularly drawn to hummus. But this stuff is good. Really good.

A friend of mine shared some moroccan spices that she bought with me, so that is what I sprinkled on top this time around. The original recipe calls for a sprinkling of paprika, but I would imagine that any spice you like would be a wonderful addition. The garlic is a great base. I am considering adding roasted red pepper and maybe some feta cheese....oregano....whatever. Hummus can be made a million different ways. Go crazy.



It's great on pita bread, but just dipping cucumbers straight in is my favorite combination.




Garlicky Hummus
adapted from Tyler Florence and Family Meal

1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
5 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup tahini
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons boiling (or just really, really hot) water
a handful of chives, chopped
a sprinkle of paprika (or moroccan seasoning, or the herb of your choice)

Put the rinsed garbanzos, peeled garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, salt and olive oil in a food processor and let 'er rip until they're all well combined and there aren't any large garbanzo chunks hiding in there. Then add the 2 tablespoons of hot water while pulsing a bit more until it's light and fluffy. After removing from the processor, add chives, paprika (or moroccan seasoning) and perhaps an added drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

This is perfect served with wedges of pita bread, on crackers, or just as a dip with veggies. Yum!!!

Note: I've made this a grand total of 3 times in the past couple weeks. The last time I made it (I doubled the recipe), I didn't realize that I goofed and bought 1 can of garbanzos and one can of great northern beans until I dumped both cans into the strainer to rinse.....oops. No matter. The white beans go perfectly, and the only difference was that the dip needed a little less water. The white beans have more moisture than garbanzos.

Additional Note: (in case you're worried...) I actually had an appointment to have my teeth cleaned the morning after eating a lot of this stuff. Needless to say, I was a little worried for the 'safety' of the dental hygenist. All was fine, and the only comment made to me was about how 'boring' my teeth are.