Ingredients:

  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (reserve liquid)
  • 1/2 cup good quality tahini
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2–4 tablespoons ice water or reserved chickpea liquid (Aquafaba)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper (reserved from roasting process)
  • 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika (plus extra for garnish)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)

Instructions:

  1. Roast the peppers: Halve peppers, remove seeds, place skin-side up on a baking sheet. Roast or char until skin is blackened. Cool in a covered bowl, then peel and roughly chop. Reserve half for the hummus mixture, and keep the other half for garnish/texture.
  2. Prepare the Tahini Mixture: In a food processor, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Process for 1 minute until the mixture lightens and thickens (blooming the tahini).
  3. Add Primary Hummus Ingredients: Add the drained chickpeas, cumin, and the first half of the chopped roasted pepper to the processor. Blend thoroughly.
  4. Achieve Silkiness: While the processor runs, slowly drizzle in 2–4 tablespoons of ice water or reserved aquafaba. Continue processing for 3–5 minutes until the hummus is utterly smooth and pale, scraping down the sides as needed.
  5. Final Flavour Boost: Add the smoked paprika and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse briefly to incorporate. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice if necessary.
  6. Plating & Garnish: Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the centre. Drizzle generously with high-quality olive oil, sprinkle with extra smoked paprika, and garnish with the remaining chopped roasted pepper.