Baked Hummus

H

ealthy’ food could not be more in our face at the moment with celebrity chefs in the media, tortuous instagram or yet another cookbook launch. While some are giving out a positive message on the whole I can’t help but feel that those that are taking it to the extreme are frankly just quite annoying? What ever happened to a balanced diet I don’t know. Some fads I have kindly embraced – avocado toast for example with lashings of lemon and maldon salt, but at this time of year the thought of a raw pizza (whatever that is…a cracker I think!?) washed down with a kale and spinach juice sends icy and fun-killing shivers down my spine. What with January being plagued with this health theme and matched with the chilly winter weather we’ve been experiencing lately I am craving warmth from soups, stews and slow baked dishes which by all means can be healthy too.

Take the humble, versatile and much loved hummus. Warm and familiar when deep fried as falafel, there is nothing stopping it being baked and devoured ‘fondue style’? And yes, you are more than welcome to imagine you are enjoying a fondue….just with far less milk, fat and cheese hangovers. Eat as you would fondue or enjoy smothered on your favourite toasted bread.

A delicious, healthy adaptation for the winter weather.

Serves about 4

  • 1 can drained chickpeas (250g approx)
  • 1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds (dry toasted and then ground)
  • 1 teaspoon spice mix (see here – optional)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 3 tbsp thick yoghurt
  • Seasoning
  • Handful pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp butter
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Place all the ingredients (except the pine nuts and butter) into a food processor and blend until thoroughly smooth. You may need to scrape down the sites a few times.
  3. Add more yoghurt or oil to vary the constancy to your liking.
  4. Spoon the hummus into a small ovenproof serving dish or bowl
  5. Heat a large frying pan and dry toast the pine nuts until golden. Add the butter and remove from the what while it browns and melts.
  6. Top the hummus with the buttery nuts and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
  7. The mixture will warm and turn golden. If you use a thin consistency it may even rise a little.
  8. Serve with crudités, warm toasted pitta breads, rye bread etc.

This is lovely served warm as a shared starter with crudités or warm pittas. Alternatively as a light lunch I had mine smothered on lemony avocado on toasted rye bread and sprinkled with flaky salt…..

Jess - Warm Hummus Avocado_