Categories: appetizer, dips, spring, summer

Ingredients

• For the Hummus:
• 1 lemon
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• Olive oil and chopped Italian parsley for garnish
• For the Pita Chips:
• 6 pita breads
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Garlic salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons dried herbs, such as basil or oregano

Directions

1. First make the hummus. Slice the lemon in half and use a reamer to juice it. Measure 1/4 cup of the juice, then pour it into a food processor or a blender.
2. Add the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, vegetable oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and water to the bowl or pitcher and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
3. Transfer the hummus to a small bowl or shallow platter and drizzle it with olive oil. Sprinkle the dip with the parsley. Set it aside (it can be kept at room temperature for up to four hours).
4. Make the pita chips. Heat the oven to 400 F. Separate the two round halves of each pita by poking a hole in the seam, then tearing the bread along it. Use small cookie cutters (ours measure 3 inches) to cut the pita into shapes.
5. Arrange the pita shapes on two baking sheets. Brush the tops with the olive oil, then sprinkle them with the garlic salt, the pepper, and the dried herbs.
6. Bake the pita for 7 minutes or until the chips are lightly browned, rotating the pan halfway through. Let the chips cool on the pans on wire racks. Serve with the hummus. Leftover chips can be stored in resealable bags up to one week. The dip can be covered and refrigerated up to five days.

7. Tips:

8. Before juicing a lemon, press and roll it on a countertop with the palm of your hand. This breaks up the membranes in the fruit and makes it easier to extract the juice.

9. Variations:

10. For a dip with more sophisticated flavor, replace the tahini in the main recipe with peanut butter. The substitution adds a nutty, slightly smoky taste to the hummus.

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