Beet Root Tahini Hummus with Pita Chips
Two of the best things I had in Australia was the beet root Hummus from Grandma's Kitchen, and the other was the Tahini Dip by Yalla. I thought combining the two would make an amazing tasting and beautiful vibrant looking dip. I took my traditional Hummus recipe that my mom and I concocted a long time ago and and tweaked it to resemble the amazing flavors I tried in Australia. As we in the US call beets, "Beets", in Australia they all seem to call them Beet Root, which makes sense. So I thought it would be appropriate to take on the Australian name.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1 roasted medium sized beet
3 cups chick peas (Garbanzo beans)
1/3 cup tehini paste
1 lemon juiced and zested
salt and pepper
To Start you will need a roasted beet.
To roast beets put washed and trimmed beet in the middle of a piece of aluminum foil and pull up sides of foil to make a pouch around the beets. Place in middle rack of oven and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes till a knife slides into the center of the beet smoothly.
Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in food processor. Pulse till all garlic is roughly chopped.
Add half the chick peas and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pulse till smooth and evenly blended with the beet and garlic.
Cut the roasted beet in quarters, and add to the food processor and pulse till evenly chopped in as small pieces as possiable.
Add the rest of the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Pulse until smooth and a consistent color. if it seems a little dry drizzle in a little more olive oil while pulsing.
When you serve the Beet Root Tahini Hummus drizzle a little olive oil and top with some lemon zest.
Baked Pita chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut Pita bread in wedges. Lightly grease baking sheet with olive oil and scatter pita wedges on the sheet. Spray tops of pita wedges with olive oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes till golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Kosher salt. This is a great way to use your not so fresh pita.
Every hummus needs a good pita chip!
I hope you enjoy my inspiration from Australia, and that I could spread some happy.
Enjoy!!
