Holyland Hummus

This past weekend we were in NYC, and since we were staying in the East Village, we had to make a stop at the Holyland Market on St. Marks Place. They not only make the freshest pita, but they also have Israeli brands of tahina and pickles that I love. (They also sell pickles from a kibbutz where some of my family lives!)

When it came time to prepare something for potluck, it was a no brainer. I grabbed some chickpeas and whipped up some homemade hummus. If you've never made hummus before, stop what you're doing and try it now - it's easy and well worth it.

Tahina(sesame paste), chickpeas, lemon, garlic & olive oil

All measurements are approximates and will vary based on your own tastes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, reserving a little bit of liquid for the hummus. Mince one clove of garlic and place in food processor. Add chickpeas, 1-2 tablespoons of tahina, juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt & pepper.

 

Then - puree! As it blends, add some of the reserved chickpea liquid until the consistency is to your liking.

I ended up making this into hummus masabacha. I took a cup of whole chickpeas and mixed them with the other half of the lemon juice, some cumin and salt and then topped the hummus with them. Drizzle some more olive oil and sprinkle some paprika over it and you're good to go. I personally enjoy eating hummus masabacha slightly warmed, but room temperature will do in a pinch.

Holy yum.

It seemed like a hit at potluck and went well with the rest of the festive food (we celebrated a birthday! More food pictures/details to come...)