Italian Chickpea Spread Hummus Recipes

SPICY HUMMUS: QUICK CHICKPEA SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine beans, tahini, oil, pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt, and lemon juice in food processor bowl and grind into a smooth paste. Transfer to a small dip dish and surround spread with warm pita wedges. This recipe makes a great appetizer, or anytime snack.
• Tidbit: this is a fantastic dish to take to a pot luck or block party -- it's always a hit!

FRIED-CHICKPEA HUMMUS

Steps:

• Make Tahini Dip; puree with 1/2 can chickpeas. Microwave until warm. Fry the other 1/2 can chickpeas in olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Top the hummus with the fried chickpeas, red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.
• Tahini Dip
• Puree 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 minced garlic clove. Drizzle in 1/2 cup hot water; puree until smooth.
• See all 50 Game-Day Dips

ITALIAN CHICKPEA SPREAD (HUMMUS)

Steps:

• Blend.
• Refrigerate.
• Enjoy!

MEDITERRANEAN SMASHED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high. Add garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes and celery. Stir to combine let sizzle without browning for 1 minute.
• Add chickpeas and let them heat through. With a potato masher or wooden spoon, crush about half the beans. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning. Add 1/2 cup water (or bean cooking liquid if you have it) and let mixture simmer briskly for a minute or two. Stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Serve warm in pita or as a dip or side dish. Garnish with quartered eggs, accompanied by minted yogurt and tahini sauce, if desired.

HUMMUS (LEBANESE CHICKPEA SPREAD)

Steps:

• Soak the chickpeas in a generous amount of water overnight.
• Rinse the chickpeas and transfer to a medium saucepot. Add the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the foam that rises to the top with a spoon and discard. Continue to boil until the chickpeas are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving the cooking water and 10 chickpeas for garnish.
• Combine the chickpeas, ½ cup of the cooking water, the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until completely smooth.
• Transfer the hummus to a small bowl. Drag the back of a soup spoon 1 inch from the edge of the bowl to create a moat around the center. Pour the olive oil in the moat. Decorate the center and edges with the reserved chickpeas and garnish with a few sprinkles of Aleppo pepper.
• Cook's Note: Aleppo pepper is a dried red pepper popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It has a medium spice level and a subtle sweetness. Jeanette frequently uses Aleppo pepper in her dishes.

CHICKPEA SPREAD

Steps:

• Brush the onion slices with a little olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. On a hot griddle pan or in a cast-iron skillet, grill until tender and slightly char-marked.
• In a food processor, combine the grilled onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shallots, basil, and cumin. Pulse into a chunky purée. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then the lemon juice. The mixture should be quite smooth.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add the Chickpea Confit. Fold together to blend. Return to the food processor in batches, and purée until the mixture is smooth and thick. Season to taste with pepper and salt (if the sun-dried tomatoes are very salty, you may not need much). The texture is a matter of taste; if it is very thick, add a little more olive oil to yield a creamier result. Well covered, the spread will last for at least a week in the refrigerator.
• For two different textures, puree half the spread until very smooth and pale, and leave the other half chunky.
• If you refrigerate the spread overnight, you can return it to a nice creamy texture by rewhipping in the food processor (pulse on and off for 1 minute).
• The Wedge: Cut a small triangle of pita and smear with Chickpea Spread. Top with a pinch of crumbled feta and some sliced scallions, picked sprigs of parsley or dill, and a few slivers of olive.