Recipe: Tuscan Hummus

This Tuscan Hummus from the California Pizza Kitchen Pasta, Salads, Soups, And Sides cookbook is one of my favorite recipes. The recipe is so perfect, I don’t change anything about it when I make it except to reduce the salt from 1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 1/4 teaspoons. ( Incidentally my favorite Spinach Artichoke Dip is also from this cookbook.)

Instead of the typical garbanzo beans, this recipe uses cannellini beans. It’s kind of an  Italian twist on a Middle Eastern dish. The Bruschetta-like topping further Italianizes it. The cannellini beans make for an exceptionally smooth and creamy hummus. With ample amounts of garlic, cayenne pepper, and cumin, this is a boldly flavored hummus.

I’ve never eaten the hummus at California Pizza Kitchen ( I save all the room in my stomach for pizza and salad when we eat there) so I can’t compare this cookbook version to what they serve at the restaurant. All I know is one bite of this hummus, and you’ll never want to eat store-bought hummus again.

More Hummus Recipes

Butternut Squash Hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

Black Bean Hummus

Peanut Butter Hummus

Tuscan Hummus

• 8 to 10 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 cups drained canned Cannellini beans or Great Northern Beans
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water (if needed)
• Checca (recipe follows)

1. Add garlic and beans to a food processor and pulse until beans are coarsely chopped. With machine running, slowly add tahini through feed tube. Keep food processor running and add olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Stop the food processor to scrape down the sides if necessary.
2. Stop the food processor, remove the lid and add salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Place lid back on and process until thoroughly blended. If too thick for your liking, add some water. Place in refrigerator to chill before serving. Top with checca.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Checca

• 2 pounds Roma tomatoes cut into a small dice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
•  2 teaspoons salt
•  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Disclosure: Fort Mill SC Living is an amazon.com affiliate.