Beet Hummus and Homemade Pita Chips

Recipe by Catherine Pla

Makes about 1 1⁄2 cups

Beet Hummus and Homemade Pita Chips

You’ll love the vibrant magenta color of this delicious hummus. Both of these common snack items taste so much better if you make them yourself.

Beet Hummus

• 1 roasted beet, peeled and chopped

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained reserving 1 T of liquid (aquafaba)

• 2⁄3 c tahini

• Juice and zest of 2 lemons

• 1 t cumin

• 1 t kosher salt

• 1⁄4 t black pepper

• 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed

• 1⁄3 c olive oil

• Chopped parsley

• Extra olive oil for garnish

• Za’atar for garnish

Place the beet, chickpeas, tahini, lemon zest and juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic in a food processor and blend. Add the olive oil slowly with the motor running and blend until smooth.

Scrape down the sides and blend again until it’s smooth. It may be too thick at this point, if so add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Pulse. Taste for salt, pepper, lemon, and garlic and add if needed. Transfer hummus to a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, za’atar, and chopped parsley.

Pita Chips

• 10 pita bread pockets

• 2⁄3 c olive oil

• 1 t herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning

• 1 t kosher salt

• 1 t garlic powder

• 1⁄2 t black pepper

• 1⁄4 t smoked paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the olive oil, herbs and spices. Cut each pita pocket around the perimeter in half, so you're left with 20 circles. Using a pastry brush, coat each circle on both sides with oil mixture. Cut each circle into 6 wedges, like pieces of pie. Place wedges on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes. Check them, you may need to bake them longer but be careful as it’s easy to burn them.