A wonderful alternative to traditional hummus, this white bean hummus is made with cannellini beans and is topped with chargrilled artichokes and za'atar.
I have a huge pot of za'atar that my beloved friend delivered to me from Jerusalem, however you can find it at Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Middle Eastern delis, it is quite similar to oregano in taste but a little different and fresher. The most common way to eat it is by dipping freshly baked flatbreads in olive oil and then in a pot of za'atar so it sticks, creating a nutty deliciousness.
INGREDIENTS
1 can of canellini beans (reserve a tbsp of the water when draining)
2 heaped tbsp of tahini
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 tbsp of olive oil, with more for drizzling
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
a pinch of sea salt grains
a pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp of cumin
TOPPING
2-3 tbsp of za'atar
toasted pine nuts (optional)
6-8 slices of chargrilled artichoke (straight from jar)
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all the ingredients (minus those for the topping) in a food processor and blend until smooth. I like my hummus with a sight texture as opposed to super smooth, but everybody will have a personal preference.
The most important part...taste! If the hummus tastes too much of the beans, add a little bit more tahini and also adjust the lemon juice and seasoning. If the consistency is too thick just add little drops of water and mix.
To serve, sprinkle with za'atar and place the artichokes on top but slightly in the hummus. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts. You can toast pine nuts easily in a dry pan until they start to brown.