Hummus
Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from garbanzo beans, garlic, sea salt and olive oil. Traditionally, it is served as a dip or as part of a mezze platter. From there, its flavor changes depending on additional ingredients such as sun- dried tomatoes, artichokes or red peppers. It has become more common to find hummus where you least expect it. Hummus is noteworthy in recipes from chicken to pie crusts.
Pizza
When preparing the homemade pizza dough, add just a hint of a Greek-influenced seasoning blend that has dried mint, cinnamon, nutmeg and garlic (homemade seasoning is recommended). Knead dough with the seasoning and let rise. Roll out the pizza dough and place on a prepared pizza pan. Spread hummus on top of the dough as you would tomato sauce for an Italian pizza. Drizzle olive oil and top with roasted red peppers, caramelized onions and sliced kalamata olives. Sprinkle the top with crumbled feta cheese. Bake per pizza dough recipe instructions until browned. Time will be slightly less than a traditional cheese-based pizza. Serve with a side salad using mixed greens, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds and pine nuts. Drizzle with olive oil.
Pasta with Hummus Sauce
Put together a hummus using one roasted eggplant without skin, one 15-oz. can of garbanzo beans, crushed garlic cloves, lemon juice and tahini. Blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Boil spinach pasta such as penne or other tube pasta as directed on package. In a lightly oiled casserole dish, combine the pasta mixture with sautéed spinach, baba ganoush hummus, kalamata olives and seasoning. This dish is similar in consistency to a homemade baked macaroni and cheese. Serve the casserole with a Greek salad and warmed pita. Alternately prepare a parsley-based hummus sauce to serve over grilled vegetable pasta primavera.
Tuna Steak with Hummus
Prepare and bake one loaf of French bread. While the bread cools to room temperature, grill tuna steaks (according to people count). Season steaks with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, crushed garlic, a dash of coriander and olive oil. While the steaks are grilling, cut the bread into thick slices. Lightly toast under the broiler and spread with homemade or packaged garlic hummus. Slice steaks to fit the top of the bread, sprinkle with olive oil and serve on a plate with as garnish. Accompany the tuna and hummus with a fresh cucumber salad with red onion, baby arugula and crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle the cucumber salad with flaked mint.
Tags: kalamata olives, pizza dough, baba ganoush, baba ganoush hummus, crumbled feta, crumbled feta cheese, crushed garlic