Creamy Hummus

You'll never want to purchase store-bought hummus again after you realize how easy it is to make at home. The "hardest," or most time-consuming, part of this recipe is allowing the dried chickpeas to soak overnight, and then boiling them and removing the skin. Don't be quick to skip this step because it makes all the difference.

PREP: 24 hrs | COOK: 1 hour | Serves 10

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup dried chickpeas

• 1 tbs baking soda (plus 1 tsp)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 cup tahini

• Juice from 2 large lemons

• 1 tbs olive oil (plus more for garnish)

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 2 ice cubes

INSTRUCTIONS: 

• Soak the chickpeas in a large bowl full of water. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda, stir, and soak overnight.

• The next day, the chickpeas should have nearly doubled in size. Rinse the chickpeas and place in a pot with double the amount of water. Add a bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and cook for an hour. Skim off any foam from the surface. Add more water if it begins to run low.

• Once the chickpeas are tender (can be squished between your fingers), drain them in a colander. Be sure to reserve about one cup of water.

• While the chickpeas are hot, remove as many of the skins as you can. Aim to remove about 80% of the skins.

• Add the chickpeas to a food processor, along with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil while mixing as well.

• Whizz the chickpeas for several minutes. Add 2-3 ice cubes and mix again until silky smooth. Add leftover chickpea water as needed to improve texture.

• Once mixed, taste the hummus to ensure it has the correct flavor and texture. Add more salt, lemon, garlic, or chickpea water as needed.

• Drizzle with good olive oil upon serving and (optional) sprinkle with paprika.