Original Hummus

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (15 oz)          Chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked)

1/4 cup                    Lemon Juice (one large lemon)

1/4 cup                    Tahini, well-stirred

1 clove                     Garlic, minced

2 Tbs                       Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for serving

1/2 tsp                     Cumin, ground

tt                               Salt

2-3 Tbs                    Water

Dash                         Paprika, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin and a 1/2 tsp of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds or until well blended.

Open, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.