Hummus Bi Tahini (with Tahini – sesame paste)

What you need:
Juice of two lemons
2 Garlic cloves, sliced
2/3 cup Tahini paste
Flat leaf parsley – to garnish
¾ cup dried Chickpeas
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Ground Black pepper, to taste
Extra Olive oil and Cayenne pepper for sprinkling

What to do:
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and leave them to soak overnight.

Throughly rinse and drain the chickpeas, then place them in a large pan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 mins. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 ¼ – 2 hrs until soft. Drain the chick peas in a colander and puree in a food processor until they form a smooth paste.

Add the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cayenne pepper and tahini paste and blend until creamy, scraping the mixture down from the sides of the bowl. Season the puree with plenty of salt and black pepper and transfer to a serving dish.

Sprinkle with a little olive oil and cayenne pepper, and garnish with a few parsley sprigs. Serve
with toasted pitta bread and olives if you like.

NOTE: Tahini is a paste that is made from sesame seeds, cumin and sesame oil. It is used in many middle eastern recipes, so it is a useful ingredient to have.