Vegan roasted garlic and tomato hummus!

Ingredients for roasted garlic and tomato hummus - tahini, lemon juice, roasted tomatoes, olive oil, chick peas and roasted garlic.

It took me a long time to create hummus I liked as much the hummus I could buy in the store - which is the opposite of how cooking usually works. One week, however, I heard some tips listening to Lynne Rossetto Kasper on the Splendid Table. She gave three tips that helped me make great hummus: First, use a blender, not a food processor; second, more olive oil doesn't mean smoother hummus; and third, if you really want to go the extra mile - peel your garbanzo beans.

This recipe makes a rather large batch of hummus.  I love to eat a thick layer on veggie-sandwiches.

Complete Ingredient List:

1. 1 c. (uncooked amount) dried chick peas
2. 2 medium tomatoes
3. 1 head garlic
4. 1/4 c. olive oil
5. 2.5 TBS tahini
6. 1 TBS lemon juice
7. 3-5 TBS water
8. Salt
9. Pepper
10. Parsley (dried or fresh) to garnish

First, soak, cook then shell the chick peas.

Chick peas pop right out of their shells once cooked - it's not absolutely necessary, and you likely lose some fiber, but it makes smoother hummus and is a weirdly satisfying task for me.

 Second, roast the tomatoes and garlic.

Slice and seed the tomatoes, place them on a foil covered sheet, brush them with olive oil, salt and pepper and put them in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes. (I use a toaster oven). At the same time, cut the top off of a head of garlic, drizzle olive oil in the opening, wrap the whole head in foil and place in the oven along side the tomatoes. I leave the garlic about five minutes more than the tomatoes.

Tomatoes go in the oven like this, brushed with oil, salt and pepper.

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates the flavor.

You can roast garlic right along side the tomatoes, wrap it in foil though. When it's done, allow to cool then squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl.

Third, use a blender to mix the chick peas, garlic, tomatoes, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fourth, garnish with fresh or dried parsley, if you want. Chill before serving.

Finished roasted garlic and tomato hummus.