I know what you’re thinking: “Hmmph. Easy. Says she of the 3-day pie crust and the day-long chicken pot pie.”  But, really, this recipe is easy.  Easy as pie.  Well, way easier than pie, actually.  Easy enough for Rachel Ray (although why make hummus when it’s so much more convenient to buy it in the store? And why do I pick on this woman when I’ve never even seen her show?  I’m sure she’s a lovely person. Really.).  Anyway, you get the point. Easy.

This recipe is why I always have a can of chickpeas in the pantry; in less than 15 minutes you can whip together a delicious hummus and there always seems to be bread, or crackers, or something crunchy in the house. Instant appetizer for the drop-in guest!  It’s very adaptable to seasonal ingredients: scallions in Spring, fresh herbs in summer, shallots and leafy greens in the Fall, roasted garlic in winter. Best of all you just pop it all in the food processor, whirl away, taste, adjust and serve.  Delicious every time.

(My apologies for the picture. The hummus is a lovely, warm golden color, you know, like chickpeas. Not like mashed potatoes.  Darn winter lack of daylight.)

Adapted from Hummus in the Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

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Easy Homemade Hummus

INGREDIENTS

• 3 – 4 medium cloves garlic (more if roasted)
• about 1/4 cup of something oniony (1/2 small red onion, 2 small shallots, 3 or 4 large scallions, 1 leek, etc.)
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15-oz can), divided
• 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• juice & zest from 1 medium lemon (or 4 tbsp bottled lemon juice)
• a few dashes of tamari (soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• a few dashes of cayenne or other chile powder, to taste
• 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
• 1 tsp salt (optional)
• about 1/4 cup of something green (chives, parsley, cilantro, mint, arugula, etc.)

METHODS

1. Add the garlic cloves and onion to the bowl of a small food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.  Add 1 and 1/2 cups of chickpeas, tahani, lemon juice, tamari, black and cayenne peppers.  Process until well mixed, and smooth, or not-so-smooth, according to your preference.  For flavor and/or to improve texture (and get things moving in the processor) drizzle a bit of olive oil through the feed tube while the motor is running.
2. Turn the motor off, remove lid and taste.  Add salt, additional spices, lemon juice, tamari or tahini as needed.  (I generally go through the taste-and-mix process 3 or 4 times before it is perfect).  When you’ve got it where you want it, add the “something green” and the last 1/2 cup of chickpeas.  Process until well-combined, but still a little chunky – or keep going if you like a smooth hummus.  For a very smooth hummus, add more olive oil through the feed tube with the motor running.
3. Serve at room temperature with pita bread, whole wheat tortillas, crackers, or crudite.

Yields about 3 cups.

OPTIONS

1. Options are only limited by your imagination and are nicely adaptable to seasonal ingredients.  Roasted garlic is a favorite of mine (double the amount of cloves), as is lots of fresh parsley and lemon.  Roasted red peppers work well, as well as re-hydrated tomatoes (add a little of the hydrating water) or sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Play around with it and find your favorite version.
2. The Moosewood original calls for 3/4 cup tahini which I find way too tahini-y.
3. If raw garlic and onions are a bit too sharp for you, saute in a little olive oil for 5 minutes or so to soften the vegetables and mellow the flavor.

STORE

This will last at least a week, probably longer, in the refrigerator.  I’ve never frozen hummus; I imagine the texture would suffer on thawing.  If anyone out there has had luck freezing hummus, please let us know in comments.

SEASON

Year round.