Hummus AND Friends. Ta-Da!
It's the hummus, and the chips, and the carrots, and the celery, and the red bell pepper, and the olives, and the beer.
Somehow, I’ve mastered the perfect hummus, AND the requisite pita chips upon which the hummus is enjoyed. Do yourself a favor, and make this dip – low cal for bikini season!
Pita Chips
Makes 60-80 chips - enough to fill a large bowl
INGREDIENTS
- 10 Pita Bread Rounds (cut into sixths or eighths – you choose the chip size)
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Cayenne Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Layer the pita pieces on a rack inserted in a half sheet pan. NOTE: you will need two sheet pans to bake these in one batch
- With a brush, lightly brush each pita piece with a dab of olive oil. Instead of using a brush I artfully drizzle a few drops of olive oil on each pita piece and spread it out using my clean index finger – this is an advanced maneuver!
- Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the oiled pita pieces, and then sprinkle an even smaller amount of cayenne. Who knows if this is at all authentic, but dang, it’s good
- Bake for ~15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to make sure the pita pieces are not getting too ‘crisp.’ The goal is a mostly crisp chip with a little bready tenderness.
- Remove from oven – put in bowl. Turn-off the oven.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Place into a colorful serving bowl. These can be enjoyed by themselves, but are best used as a dip-delivery-mechanism (specifically hummus or other middle-eastern dip)
FAQs
- Half-Sheet Pan? >> Your mother called it a “cookie sheet.” Those of us ‘in the know’ call it a half-sheet pan. If you’re shopping for one, it’s typically bigger than a “cookie sheet” and sturdier. This is also known as a “jelly roll pan,” though, I’ve never made jelly rolls. Since you’re at the store, get a rack that fits nicely inside. No rack? That’s ok, you can probably make decent pita chips without a rack...
Hummus
Makes ~2.5-3 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 2 15 oz Cans Chick Peas (aka Garbanzo Beans)
- 1/2+ Cup Olive Oil (will probably need more)
- 1 Tbs Tahini
- Juice from One Lemon
- 1-2 tsp Minced Garlic
- Kosher Salt (to taste - around 1 tsp)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drain the chick peas and rinse with cold water – get that nasty bean syrup off...
- Dump the beans into a food processor
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of olive oil
- Spin to win – process the mixture into the early formations of a paste
- Add the tahini and spin some more
- Taste – add salt (not too little – not too much)
- Spin again – this time to a smooth consistency. Add more olive oil if needed. I've found that I typically need more olive oil, but the amount changes. Just be prepared to add more, and you'll be fine.
- Scoop/pour into your favorite hummus-friendly bowl
- Eat! Use the freshly made pita chips that are still warm from the oven.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Drizzle ~1 tsp of olive oil on top (fancy!)
FAQs
- What is Tahini? >> It’s sesame seed ‘butter’ similar to peanut butter. You’ll find it in a jar in the middle-eastern section of your grocery store. If you can’t find it, you can leave it out OR you can try a little peanut butter – hell, it’s your dip!
- I ain’t got no food processor >> Yeah, my own food processor is kind of a joke, but I think this can probably be done w/o one. Just violently mix-up the peas with a sturdy spoon or potato masher and mix all the goodies in as smooth as possible. I think the ‘authentic’ version of this dish probably leans more on the chunky/rustic side – which will still taste great!
- Garnish options >> I’ve seen some hummus being served with garnishes. Weird, but I understand. Try one of these if you need a little extra extra:
- Red onion (diced)
- Roasted red pepper (diced)
- Anything else that can be diced small, but don’t ruin the subtle flavors of the hummus
