Hummus

Recipe Name: Plain and Red Pepper Hummus

Notes: I like this hummus better than most store-bought versions that I've tried. It calls for tahini, which can be found in the ethnic aisle of most supermarkets (there is often some middle eastern food near the asian foods).

Ingredients:

• 2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2/3 cup tahini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 red pepper, roasted

Directions: Roast the red pepper by cutting it in half vertically, coring and seeding it, and placing it under the broiler, skin side up, until the skin turns black. Peel the roasted pepper's skin off, chop it into small pieces, and set it aside momentarily. Crush the garlic and pine nuts and mix them with the lemon juice and tahini in a medium bowl. Put this mixture in a food processor or use a hand blender to add the garbanzo beans a little at a time. Blend the mixture until it makes a thick paste. Sprinkle the salt and paprika in and mix thoroughly. Add the water and the olive oil, adjusting the amounts of each to obtain the correct consistency. Divide the hummus into two batches, and blend the roasted red pepper into one half of the mixture. The result is one container of plain hummus and one of red pepper hummus. They are best served fresh and at room temperature, but can be refrigerated for about ten days.