Paula Wolfert’s Hummus

In browsing the web a few weeks ago I found this recipe for Hummus. As you can tell from amount of hummus recipes I have shared we are big fans of hummus. I was intrigued by this particular recipe however as it called for dried chickpeas rather than canned. I had never used dried chickpeas and decided I wanted to try this one. I found that while there are a couple more steps they are not labor intense. The only key with this recipe is that since you need to soak the chickpeas overnight you do have to plan ahead to make it. We did think it was quite delicious!

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 cup sesame seed paste(tahini)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, and more to taste
Cayenne, hot Hungarian paprika or za’atar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil

Rinse the soaked chickpeas well and drain them before putting them in a saucepan and covering them with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil; skim, add one-half teaspoon salt, cover and cook over medium heat, about 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are very soft (you might need to add more water). Crush the garlic and one-half teaspoon salt together until pureed. Transfer the puree to the work bowl of a food processor, add the sesame seed paste and lemon juice and process until white and contracted. Add one-half cup water and process until completely smooth. Drain the chickpeas, reserving their cooking liquid. Add the chickpeas to the sesame paste mixture and process until well-blended. Thin to desired consistency with reserved chickpea liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. The hummus can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Serve, sprinkled with paprika or za’atar and parsley and drizzled with oil.