Homemade hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. dried chickpeas
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 1 clove of garlic
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), mixed well
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp paprika, plus more for sprinkling
• Coarse salt
• Pita and/or vegetables, cut into large strips for serving

Preparation:

1. Sort the chickpeas and discard any small stones, rinse thoroughly.
   
   Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with 8 cups of water; add baking soda. Let the chickpeas soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours, or ideally, all day.
2. After the time has elapsed, drain the liquid and rinse thoroughly. Transfer the chickpeas to a large saucepan, add 10 cups of water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for another 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat and simmer for another 45 minutes, skimming off any foam occasionally, until the chickpeas are tender.
3. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, drain the rest, and rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and puree until smooth.
   
   With the processor running, add tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, pepper flakes, paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a cup of cooking liquid. The hummus should be smooth and will take about 5 minutes to prepare.
4. Transfer the puree to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika. Serve the hummus with bread and vegetables. The finished hummus can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
   
   We offer a recipe chickpea hummus in a slow cooker.