Hummus (makes about 450g)
250 g (8 oz) tinned chickpeas
50 g (2 oz) pale tahini
Juice of 2 lemons
1 clove of garlic
150 ml (1/4 pint) chickpea cooking liquid
85 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Drain the chickpeas, rinse in a sieve and put in a pan with 1 litre (2 pints) of fresh water. Bring to a boil, boil fiercely for 10 minutes, then cover and simmer for 10 more until the chickpeas are tender.
2. Drain the chickpeas but retain all the cooking liquid (what you don’t use in this recipe is good for making soup).
3. Put the chickpeas into a blender and purée with all the other ingredients (including 150 ml of the chickpea cooking liquid), except the oil and seasoning, and whizz until you have a smooth paste. While still whizzing, pour in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.