HUMMUS

The history of hummus is a long one, dating back hundreds of years. While the Greeks claim hummus as their own, so do the Arabs. There is an ongoing debate about who actually created hummus. Chickpeas were very abundant in both the Middle East and the Mediterranean. However, hummus was most likely from ancient Egypt. The first mention of hummus was from Egypt in the 13^th century. Hummus actually means “chickpea” in Arabic. Greeks and Egyptians were trade partners for hundreds of years which is likely how hummus became popular in Greece. In fact, there are many similar dishes between Egypt and Greece as a result of their trading agreements, especially during their time under Ottoman Empire. Whether hummus is Greek or Arabic, what is known for certain is that is highly popular in both areas of the world, and both Greeks and Arabs are passionately positive hummus was created by them. More importantly, it’s delicious!

I’ve made this particular hummus many times for events, potlucks, or snacks while hosting guests. Without fail, everyone raves about how delicious this hummus is and asks for the recipe. Selfishly I thought “This is only going in the cookbook”. But then I decided… Uhm, food to is ENJOY!! And therefore, by popular demand, here is the recipe for my hummus. Serve with warm pita bread or with fresh vegetables.

SERVINGS  [1 1/4 CUPS]

INGREDIENTS:

1 14-ounce can chicken peas, drained and rinsed

3-4 tablespoons tahini paste

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Splash water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

Paprika for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add extra olive oil if the mixture needs more moisture. Move to a large bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and add a dash of paprika on top for garnish, if desired. Serve with warm pita bread.