Lemon-Garlic Hummus

Have you ever wanted to make smooth creamy hummus like you get in a restaurant? Well, here it is!

The trick is to use a little of the water the beans were packed in, and use a food processor.

It’s a big hit at parties and the bowl is always empty within a few minutes.

Ingredients:
2 Cans Chick Peas
4 Cloves Garlic
1/3 Cup Tahini
3/4 t Kosher Salt
1 Lemon
Chopped Parsley
Sumac (the spice, not the tree), Paprika or Smoked Paprika
  • Place a strainer over a small bowl and empty the chick peas into the strainer.
  • Save the liquid and put the chick peas into the food-processor
  • Microwave the lemon for 20 or 30 second until warm, not hot, then roll it around on the counter to soften it. This lets you get more juice out of it.
  • Slice the lemon in half, put the strainer over the food processor and squeeze one or both halves through the strainer into the bowl, depending on how big the lemon is and how lemony you like it.
  • Add the garlic, tahini and salt to the food processor.
  • Start the food processor and add small amounts of liquid until the mix starts circulating, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Continue processing until very smooth, adding more liquid if necessary. It should be about as soft as pudding.
  • Taste and check the seasoning (garlic, tahini, lemon and salt) and texture.
    You may need to add a little more seasoning or process it a little more, since it looks smooth before it feels smooth in your mouth.
  • Place in a bowl, cover tightly and chill. The flavor improves greatly after chilling.
  • Sprinkle a little sumac or paprika over the top, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and maybe a little chopped parsley
  • Serve with warm pita bread. Note that the “warm” part is important. Cold Pita bread tastes like old shoes. Warm Pita bread is soft and wonderful. You can heat it up in an oven or a dry cast iron pan, or even better, brush with a little olive oil and toss in to a hot grill for a few seconds.

Note that because the chick-peas have a relatively mild flavor, the amount of seasoning you add will have a big impact on the flavor. Be sure to check and add more if necessary.
The garlic flavor will intensify slightly in the refrigerator, so if it’s a little mild initially, it will probably be perfect the next day.

4 Weight Watcher’s Points Plus for 1/2 cup