Homemade Hummus and Pita Chips

Yields: 8

Preparation time: 25

Cooking time: 10

Components

  • Homemade Tahini
  • Homemade Hummus
  • Homemade Pita Chips

Directions

  • Make the tahini
  • Make the hummus
  • Make the pita chips
↓ This is a component-based recipe (fancy talk for making the dish in pieces, then assembling). ↓

Homemade Tahini

Ingredients

  • 1 cup hulled sesame seeds
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons neutral flavored oil such as grape seed, canola or a light olive oil
  • Pinch of salt, optional

Steps

  • Add sesame seeds to a wide, dry saucepan over medium-low heat and toast, stirring constantly until the seeds become fragrant and very lightly colored (not brown), 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Transfer toasted seeds to a baking sheet or large plate and cool completely. (Careful here, sesame seeds can burn quickly).
  • Add sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor then process until a crumbly paste forms, about 1 minute.
  • Add 3 tablespoons of the oil then process for 2 to 3 minutes more, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the food processor a couple times.
  • Check the tahini’s consistency. It should be smooth, not gritty and should be pourable. You may need to process for another minute or add the additional tablespoon of oil.
  • Taste the tahini for seasoning then add salt to taste. Process 5 to 10 seconds to mix it in.
  • Store tahini covered in the refrigerator for one month. You may notice it separates over time, like a natural peanut butter would. If this happens, give the tahini a good stir before using.

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water
  • Dash ground paprika, for serving

Steps

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
  • Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice.
  • Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.
  • Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas.
  • Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute.
  • Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea.
  • To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
  • Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika.
  • Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.

Homemade Pita Chips

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Ingredients

  • 1 package pita bread
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Cut each pita bread in quarters and each quarter in half to make 8 triangles.
  • Place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and sprinkle lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes, until crisp, turning once.

Category: Snack