Kidney Beans + Syria; Kidney Bean Hummus

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Yield: serve 4-6, as a snack or appetizer

Ingredients:

• 1 X 19 ounce can (538 g) kidney beans
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) tahini
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) Syrian red pepper paste or 2 teaspoons (10 ml) harissa paste
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pomegranate molasses
• ½ cup (120 ml) Aleppo pepper
• 2 roasted red peppers, peeled and seeded
• Salt
• 2-3 pitas, cut into triangles
• Olive oil
• Sumac, for dusting
• 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) pine nuts, to garnish
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Method:

Combine tahini, lemon juice, red pepper paste, Aleppo pepper, roasted red pepper, pomegranate molasses, and kidney beans in a food processor and process until very smooth. Season with salt.

Refrigerate if not using right away.

Meanwhile, make pita chips: start by preheating an oven to 350 F (175 C).

Drizzle pita triangles with olive oil, and season lightly with salt and sumac. Spread on a pan in a single layer and bake for 5 minutes, until toasty and dry. Reserve in a dry place at room temperature, until needed.

To Serve:

In a small pan over medium heat, combine pine nuts with enough olive oil to just cover. Bring to a gentle sizzle and fry for about a minute, until the pine nuts just start to change colour.

While the pine nuts are frying, transfer the kidney bean dip to a serving bowl and make an indentation in the top. When the pine nuts are ready, immediately pour the nuts and oil together into the indentation.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with the pita chips, for dipping.