Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

Chickpeas From Scratch:

1. Sort dry beans and remove any pebbles or overly dried beans.
2. Cover chickpeas with water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Alternatively, to quick soak the beans, cover them with water and bring to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover beans for an hour to soften.
3. Drain soaking water and rinse beans.
4. In a large pot, cover the soaked beans with fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add in a bay leaf and whole garlic cloves to flavor the beans. If desired, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some heat.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans, partially covered, for 30-45 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises as they cook. The time will be longer if you’re using older dried beans or live at higher altitude. Sample a few beans to check doneness before turning off the heat – they should be tender to the bite but not soft.
6. Remove the bay leaf and garlic cloves. Season the beans generously with salt to your liking.

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus:

1. In a food processor, add the garlic clove while the blade is spinning to mince it finely.
2. Add in olive oil, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until combined.
3. Add in chickpeas and sundried tomatoes and process until smooth. Add salt and water to thin as desired.
4. Serve sun-dried tomato hummus with vegetable sticks and crackers. Hummus will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.