Hummus (Lebanese Chickpea Spread)

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jeanaette and the League of Kitchens. The League of Kitchens is an innovative cooking school and immersive culinary experience in NYC where immigrants, who are exceptional home cooks, teach intimate cooking workshops in their homes. Each workshop offers opportunities for participants to engage in cultural exchange, culinary discovery, and, of course, exceptional eating and drinking.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Hummus

• 1  cup dried garbanzo beans
• 6  cups water
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons fine salt
• 1⁄3 cup tahini
• 5  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped

• Garnish

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon aleppo pepper (see Cook's Note)

Directions

1. Soak the chickpeas in a generous amount of water overnight.
2. Rinse the chickpeas and transfer to a medium saucepot. Add the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the foam that rises to the top with a spoon and discard. Continue to boil until the chickpeas are tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving the cooking water and 10 chickpeas for garnish.
4. Combine the chickpeas, ½ cup of the cooking water, the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until completely smooth.
5. Transfer the hummus to a small bowl. Drag the back of a soup spoon 1 inch from the edge of the bowl to create a moat around the center. Pour the olive oil in the moat. Decorate the center and edges with the reserved chickpeas and garnish with a few sprinkles of Aleppo pepper.
6. Cook’s Note: Aleppo pepper is a dried red pepper popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It has a medium spice level and a subtle sweetness. Jeanette frequently uses Aleppo pepper in her dishes.