Greek Hummus with Tahini

Greek Hummus with Tahini
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of water
• parsley and olive oil to garnish

Greek Hummus Instructions :

Put 1/2 the lemon juice and all ingredients into the blender except the chickpeas (and the parsley and oil for garnish) and blend for 5 seconds. Add the chick peas and blend on high until it reaches the the consistency of sour cream, but granular, about 10-15 seconds. Blend in remaining lemon juice to taste. If the dip is too thick but you don't want to add more lemon juice, add a little water slowly and blend until it reaches the correct consistency.

Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. (It can be eaten immediately, but becomes even more flavorful if left to chill well.)

Drizzle of olive oil over the top and add a garnish of parsley or black olives before serving. Serve with pita wedges or slices of whole grain breads.

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Greek Food Hummus is a dish that originated in the Middle East, and is not usually found in Greece. Early Greek restaurateurs catering to local tastes outside Greece added hummus to the menu. Here on the site, there is just this one recipe, a tribute to many Greek restaurants around the world that include it on the menu. For in depth information and recipe variations, see our Middle Eastern Food site.