Hummus

From: http://greekfood.about.com/od/appetizerssalads/r/hummustahini.htm

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of water
• parsley and olive oil to garnish

Preparation:

Put 1/2 the lemon juice and all ingredients into the blender except the chickpeas (and the parsley and oil for garnish) and blend for 5 seconds. Add the chick peas and blend on high until it reaches the the consistency of sour cream, but granular, about 10-15 seconds. Blend in remaining lemon juice to taste. If the dip is too thick but you don't want to add more lemon juice, add a little water slowly and blend until it reaches the correct consistency.
Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. (It can be eaten immediately, but becomes even more flavorful if left to chill well.)
(Optional:) Drizzle of olive oil over the top and add a garnish of parsley or black olives before serving. Serve with pita wedges or slices of whole grain breads.

Note: Be sure to rinse the canned chickpeas well to clear away the taste of any ingredients used in the canning process.