roasted red pepper hummus

Of all the things this city has taught me to love, hummus ranks among my favorites. It is especially tasty when served with warm pita bread. When I realized that it was basically just pureed chickpeas, I went on a quest to learn how to make my own. My goal from the beginning was to see if I could recreate my favorite store-bought brand of roasted red pepper hummus. After many months, and many unsuccessful attempts, my experimenting has finally paid off. What resulted was smooth, evenly flavored, and seriously so delicious. I just may have mastered the art of roasted red pepper hummus.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 15.5 oz can chickpeas (where I live they are called chickpeas, but you might know them as garbonzo beans)
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp tahnini
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 roasted red pepper, plus some extra for garnish

Simmer chickpeas in a saucepan until softened and heated through. In the bowl of a food processor, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add roasted red pepper; blend until smoothly incorporated. Garnish by creating a well in the center of the dish in which it will be served and filling it with diced roasted red pepper. Serve warm or chilled with pita bread.

I made a lot of mistakes along the way, and to save you from doing the same, here are a few things you should note:

• Chickpeas puree much better in a food processor. I tried with my blender, but couldn't process them smooth enough.
• Tahini, in case this ingredient is new to you, is a sesame paste commonly used in the Middle East. Some websites claim you can substitute sesame seeds. I beg to differ. For me, it was the tahini that made all the difference. Because my neighborhood is heavily populated by Middle Eastern people, I can buy it at my regular grocery store. You, however, might have to get it at an ethnic market or perhaps at a health food store.
• Again, because of the ethnicity of my neighborhood, roasted red peppers are easy for me to find. There are a dozen varieties on the shelf of the international section of my grocery store. You, on the other hand, might have a harder time finding it. Check the international section of your grocery store first (it's sold in jars), but if you can't find it there, try an ethnic market or health food store.
  
• Some recipes call for a lot more lemon juice than I used (some up to a 1/2 cup). In my opinion, even a 1/4 cup was too much. Add more than my 1 teaspoon if you wish, but if it turns out too tart, don't say I didn't warn you. Same thing goes with the salt.

Good luck, and enjoy!