FRESH BEET “HUMMUS” WITH HOMEMADE PITA CHIPS
SERVES 6 (MAKES 1½ CUPS DIP)
HUMMUS IS ONE OF MY STAPLES. Here I substitute roasted beets for the chickpeas, just to change things up and give the dip the most stunning hot pink vibe. I like to roast a whole bunch of beets at once and keep them in the fridge for salads (I quick-pickle them for the salad here), sandwiches, and just to snack on with a sprinkle of salt and maybe a little crumble of goat cheese. If your store carries vacuum-sealed roasted beets (or if they stock roasted beets in the salad bar), buy them. It makes whipping up hummus the simplest thing that you can cook up even on the craziest of days. While this version is Herb-free, you can easily enhance the recipe by adding 1 tablespoon CannaOil to the hummus—it’s killer as a sandwich spread with some fresh mozzarella or packed into a small container with carrot sticks for dipping to bring along on a trip to the beach or to pack in a backpack for a day out and about.
HUMMUS
1 large beet, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
HOMEMADE PITA CHIPS
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 pita breads
2½ tablespoons Herb-Sesame Salt
- ROAST THE BEET FOR THE HUMMUS: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the beet on a square of foil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the oil over the beet and wrap it tightly in the foil, then set the beet on a baking sheet. Roast the beet until a paring knife easily slips into the center, 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on how big the beet is. (Leave the oven on for the pita chips, but reduce the temperature to 350°F.) Open the foil and, once the beet is cool enough to handle, use a paring knife, your fingers, or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin (wear kitchen gloves if you’re worried about staining your hands). Set aside while you make the pita chips.
- MAKE THE HERB PITA CHIPS: Pour the olive oil into a small saucepan and add the smashed garlic and rosemary sprigs. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the garlic is just starting to become golden, swirling the oil in the pan often, 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t brown the garlic, or the oil will be bitter. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl to cool.
- Slice each pita into 6 wedges, then separate the pieces so you end up with 12 triangles from each pita. Place the pita triangles rough-side up on a rimmed baking sheet and dab each with some of the herb oil and season generously with the Herb-Sesame Salt. Bake the pita chips until they are golden, rotating the pan front to back halfway through baking, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then transfer the chips to a large bowl.
- MAKE THE HUMMUS: Add the beet, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and 2 tablespoons water to a food processor and process until the mixture is thick and creamy. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed, and up to 2 more tablespoons water if the consistency is too thick. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the hummus into a medium bowl. Serve with the pita chips.
