Harissa-Spiked Houmous

This recipe is delicous -- for a nosh, cocktail party or just an evening snack! I love these kinds of appetizers because they don't take much time, this one is vegan -- so almost anyone can eat it. I like to serve them with Pita Crisps: preheat oven to 375ºF. Split 6 pitas hrizontally into circles, then cut each circle into 6 triangles. Lay them in a single layer, rough side up, on 2 or 3 baking sheets. Use a pastry brush to brush triangles with olive oil, then sprinkle with fennel seeds and a pinch of sea salt or instead of fennel and sea salt use Mrs Dash salt free seasonings. For example: Table Blend, Original or Garlic & Herb, these have a flavor all their own -- try it you might like it. These can be made about a week ahead, just store in airtight container.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

•  chickpeas, rinsed and drained (2 cans - 14 1/8 oz)
• 5  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
•  lemon juice, to taste
• 2  tablespoons harissa (go easy, we only used 1 T)
• 1  tablespoon tomato puree

Directions

1. Put three-quarters of the chickpeas in a food processor with 3 T olive oil, garlic and half a cup of water.
2. Blitz until smooth, adding a little more water if necessary to make a thick cream consistency.
3. Add the rest of the chickpeas, then whiz again for a few seconds until nobbly.
4. Season with salt and a good squeeze of lemon.
5. Mix together the harissa and tomato purée with the rest of the olive oil.
6. Drizzle over the houmous to serve.
7. **TIP**.
8. Purchase Belazu Rosa Harissa (in jars from delis and supermarkets) which is relativelt mild but with a complex flavour. Some tubes of North African harissa can be explosively hot - use extra tomato purée and olive oil to lighten.