By Ippolita Douglas Scotti:
My journey into the Middle East cookery continues with another healthy, delicious "mezze"
table dish. Today we'll make one of the most popular appetizers in the Middle East—hummus.
Made with slight variations throughout the Middle East, this dip is a light cream full of flavor and perfect to eat with pitas—the typical flat bread of the region.
Hummus is simple and always delicious, and it needs only 5 main ingredients:
Chickpeas—I use the canned ones, but if you prefer, you can boil dried chickpeas.
Tahini—a wonderful sesame seed cream
A little garlic to give a kick
Extra Virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
I usually add cumin and parsley, but there are variations with other fresh herbs such as mint or chives.
If you prepare this velvety, spicy cream the day before, the flavors and spices have time to blend together and the taste is even better.
Hummus
14 oz. (400 g) canned chickpeas
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp Tahini
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs Extra Virgin olive oil
Pinch of cumin
1 Tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Drain chickpeas from the can and put in the food processor or powerful blender.
Add tahini, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, fresh parsley, and cumin.
Mix until creamy. Let rest overnight for the best flavor.
Serve with pita bread or your favorite dipping vegetable.
For more classic "Mezze" dishes, try:
Contessa Ippolita Douglas Scotti di Vigileno is a true Italian—born in Florence, Italy, from a long line of eccentric Italian aristocrats, she has traveled the world in search of adventure, romance, and magical, mouth-watering recipes. "Ippo" loves Italian history, especially as it relates to food. Author of There's a Beatle in My Soup, Curcuma e Zenzero (Ginger & Tumeric), 101 Perche Sulla Storia di Firenze (101 questions on Florence History), and Superfoods, Ippo is currently finishing her latest work, The Lords of Florence (all published by Newton Compton Publishers).
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