Chef notes
Hummus has become so ubiquitous that we take it for granted. Most people don't think twice and buy it from the store. But homemade hummus is much more delicious than store-bought and very easy to make! We think the stuff from the supermarket has a sour flavor that comes from additives that don't need to be there. Our recipe is super creamy and smooth and has great flavor and pairs perfectly with falafel, kofta kebabs or any Mediterranean main.
Technique tip: The secret to creamy hummus is a high percentage of tahini, which is very fine sesame seed paste. The other secret is aquafaba, the liquid from boiling down the chickpeas. This magic potion has emulsifying properties similar to egg whites. Whipping the aquafaba into the hummus makes it extra creamy.
Swap option: You can also use large tortillas or lavash bread for the wraps.
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, with their liquid
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup sesame tahini (stir from bottom before measuring)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- paprika, for garnish
- 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 large English cucumber (or hot-house cucumber), diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 4 (6-inch) pita breads
- 4 leaves butter lettuce
- 1 cup Mediterranean salad (recipe above)
- Kofta Kebabs (recipe linked above)
- 1/2 cup labneh (recipe above)
- 1/2 cup hummus (recipe above)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
Preparation
For the hummus:
1.In a food processor, combine the chickpeas with the liquid from the can, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt and cumin. Process until combined. Add Ice water as needed. With the processor running, add the olive oil a little at a time, until the hummus is smooth but still thick. Occasionally scrape down the sides of the processor so everything is evenly combined.
2.Taste and don't be afraid to add more salt, lemon juice and/or cumin to your preference.
3.Smooth the hummus in a shallow dish. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.
For the Mediterranean cucumber-tomato salad:
Place the diced tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley in a medium bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper over and let rest in fridge for about 5 minutes. Strain out and discard any excess liquid that the salt has drawn out. Stir in sumac, olive oil and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
For the labneh:
In a small bowl, combine all of the labneh ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
For the wraps:
Toast pita bread on in a hot dry skillet, about 30 seconds on each side. On each round, lay 1 leaf of butter lettuce, a Kofta Kebab then 1/4 cup of cucumber salad. Sauce with 2 tablespoons each labneh and hummus. Garnish with parsley.
