Recipe of the Week: Roasted Garlic Hummus

Pre-made hummus doesn't even compare to the real stuff, and throwing in roasted garlic really takes this dip over the top. Roasting the garlic mellows out the flavor, and makes it easier to blend in. Some hummus purists wouldn't dream of making it without tahini, a sesame seed paste, but honestly, I've never missed it in this version (and I was tired of buying it only to use a tablespoon or two only to let it go bad. We've all been there, right?)

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans

1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon

1 head of garlic

1 lemon

Chopped fresh parsley or herbs (oregano is my favorite for this dip, but use whatever you have on hand)

Pine nuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the very top part off the head of garlic, exposing all of the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap in tin foil, and roast for 20 minutes or until garlic is soft and brown.
2. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans. Juice the entire lemon, removing the seeds.
3. Allow garlic to cool, then pop each clove out with a small fork. (Here's where being the chef really pays off. Spread the extra cloves on bread or crackers to snack on...or give to your guests. But only if they're really nice to you.) 
4. In blender or food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons of herbs and roasted garlic cloves (use 5-7, adding more to taste if you really, really love garlic the way I do.) Pulse mixture until smooth. Add water if you like your hummus a little thinner, or keep it chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, more herbs, salt, pepper and if using, pine nuts.
6. Can be served immediatly, but the flavors will meld together more if you let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve with fresh warm pita or crispy pita chips.