Hummus (Lebanese Chickpea Spread) - cooking recipe

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)

Preparation

Soak the chickpeas in a generous amount of water overnight.
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.
Remove from the heat. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving the cooking water and 10 chickpeas for garnish.
Combine the chickpeas, 1/2 cup of the cooking water, the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until completely smooth.
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.
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.