Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

My kids love hummus. They will eat it for breakfast or lunch or as a snack and who could complain about such a healthy choice? We have been trying s few flavor variations in our hummus and this roasted red pepper version was a hit with the kids and with friends we served it to this past weekend.

When cooking dried chick peas you have to do a little planning ahead, as you will need to soak them overnight or at least for 12 hours in plenty of water. One cup of dried chick peas will make a good sized batch of hummus, enough for at least 4 people to share. Cover the chickpeas with 3 to 4 times the volume of water to chickpeas and add a tablespoon of baking soda to the water. This will help to soften the chickpeas.

Chickpeas do not cook quickly, even after soaking and again, you will be seasoning the hummus in the final preparation so NO SALT in the cooking water. Rinse the chickpeas after their soaking stage and very gently simmer in unsalted water for 1 to 2 hours until they are very soft and creamy at the center with no grainy texture at all. Change the cooking water half way through the cooking time and skim any foam off the top as they cook as this can affect the final taste. When fully cooked, strain in a colander let the chickpeas cool down for 20 minutes before continuing with the preparation of the hummus. Some recipes suggest saving a little of the cooking water to mix in at the end if you want a thinner consistency to the finished hummus which is an excellent idea.

2 cups cooked or canned (no salt added) chickpeas

1 small roasted red pepper

1/2 to 1 clove of minced garlic (or to taste)

1/3 to 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste) (or 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil)

1/4 tsp cumin (or to taste)

juice of one large lemon

salt to season to taste

1/4 tsp pepper (optional)

1/2 tsp crushed chili flakes ( optional, if you want a spicy option)

Add the cooked chickpeas to a food processor and process until very creamy. Add the other ingredients and blend in well. Traditionally served with drizzled olive oil and chopped parsley.

A great dip for veggies or served on flatbread.