Molly's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Roasted red pepper hummus is a popular variation on plain hummus. It's great as a dip for pitas, carrots (and other veggies) or corn chips, and also makes a great sandwich spread. Sometimes I even like to dip falafel straight into a big bowl of hummus! Chickpea-a-licious.


Ingredients

1 can Garbanzons (drained) or 1 1/2 cups precooked Garbanzos
1 red pepper
2 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp pre-minced garlic or 5 cloves, mashed or grated
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper, or 1/2 tsp pre-ground
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper


Equipment

Food processor or blender (you'll achieve a creamier texture with a good blender, but a food processor can be easier to work with)


Directions

To roast the pepper, place it in your oven on the broiler setting on the highest rack it'll fit on. Turn as each side blackens and blisters, which should take five or six minutes per side. When it is pretty uniformly roasted (70%+ blackened) remove from the oven and wrap in foil. Let sit for 10-15 minutes while the steam softens the skin. Once it's cooled, remove skin, stem and seeds. Be careful not to get scalded by escaping steam.

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor in the order listed. If you are using a food processor, use the pulse setting. If you are using a blender, escalate from low settings to high. Process until you have achieved a uniformly smooth, creamy texture. If you have trouble getting everything to blend, either scrape the sides or add a couple tablespoons of water.

After it's thoroughly blended, taste it. If it seems bland, consider adding more salt, smoked paprika, cayenne or black pepper. If it lacks tartness, add more lemon juice. If it seems dry, add more olive oil or a couple tablespoons of water.