Laura Petrosian's Hummus

The Sandcastle Girls - Recipe #3

This was my first foray into making homemade hummus... and I was pleasantly surprised by the results! 

I am dedicating the recipe to Laura Petrosian, who serves as the book's narrator. Her character is a writer, who sets out to write the story of her grandparents, Elizabeth Endicott and Armen Petrosian, who met in Syria in the midst of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

Laura is thoroughly "Americanized" - which made me think of how widely hummus is eaten in America ;) 

So without further ado... HUMMUS! 

Ingredients:

• two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas)

• 2 medium/large lemons-worth of fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 1/2 cups tahini paste (stir well!)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (add more to taste, if desired)

• 6 tablespoons room temperature water

• Garnish - olive oil, smoked paprika, and cumin powder

Instructions:

1. Process lemon juice and tahini in your food processor for about 20 seconds. Scrape sides with rubber spatula (to make sure nothing is left un-blended).

2. Add olive oil, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and process for about a minute.

3. Add 1 can of chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas), and process for about 45 seconds to a minute.

4. Add minced garlic and blend for about 30 seconds.

5. Scrape sides, add remaining chickpeas, and blend for another minute.

6. If hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water (while food processor is on) until desired texture.

7. Garnish with olive oil, smoked paprika, and cumin (see photo)

8. Enjoy!