Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I am proud to say that I roasted a red pepper all by myself. Not a terribly impressive feat for most, but to me, roasting a vegetable to transform it into something even more delicious is amazing. I've fallen in love with roasting broccoli and garlic cloves, but nothing changes quite the way a red pepper does, and I thoroughly enjoyed this small experience! I followed Ina Garten's recipe for roasting, and set my oven to 500 degrees, placing the pepper on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and let it roast for about 40 minutes. It got pretty smoky in my apartment because I forgot to turn it over twice (as recommended), but still turned out beautifully! After the pepper had cooled, and while removing the skin, stem and seeds, I was surprised to find that this veggie had taken on a slightly oily feel, and was emitting a wonderfully flavorful aroma. I julienned the pepper, and drizzled some EVOO on top. This was to be the star flavor for my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, which is also a first try!

 

Hummus is surprisingly easy to make, considering how fancy it tastes. Here's how to make enough for about 4 servings. 

 

Ingredients

 

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1/2 roasted red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt, to taste

dried parsley, for garnish

paprika, for garnish

 

Directions

 

In a food processor, place the chickpeas, red bell pepper, garlic, crushed red pepper, water, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon EVOO, cumin, and ground black pepper and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add 1/2 tablespoon extra water or lemon juice if needed to reach desired consistency and taste. Spoon to a pretty bowl for serving and use the back of a spoon to form a well in the center of the dip. Add the remaining olive oil to the well and sprinkle the top of the hummus with parsley and paprika. Serve at room temperature, with pita chips, carrots, and slices of cucumber for dipping. You can also refrigerate the dip if you're making ahead, and place in microwave for about 30 seconds to reach room temperature.