Black Bean Hummus
- Yield: 3 1/2 cups
Tahini, a thick paste made of ground sesame seeds, may be purchased in the specialty section of some grocery stores, in Middle Eastern markets, or in health food stores.
Ingredients
- Pita toasts:
- 12-- pita bread rounds
- -- Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
- -- Garlic salt to taste
- Black bean hummus:
- 2-- (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4cup tahini
- 1/4cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 4-- green onions, sliced
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 2large garlic cloves, minced
- 1teaspoon cumin
- 1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper
- -- Salt and black pepper to taste
- sprig cilantro for garnish
- 8ounces carrots, cut into sticks
- 2medium cucumbers, sliced
Instructions
For the toasts:
- Split the pita rounds into halves and cut each half into triangles. Arrange the triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic salt and bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp.
For the hummus:
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the beans. Process the remaining beans, tahini, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, green onions, olive oil, garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Spoon the humus into a bowl. Chop the reserved beans by hand and sprinkle over the top. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro. Serve with the pita toasts, carrot sticks and cucumber slices.
Recipe reprinted with permission from the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Inc., River Road Recipes IV: Warm Welcomes, Entertaining Menus from Our Homes to Yours (the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Inc., 2004)
