Middle Eastern appetizers are savory, garlicky, and comforting. This is one of my Dad's many recipes and is different from his regular hummus
recipe because the garlic is roasted. The sweet, roasted garlic mellows the intensity of the garlic in the hummus. The first time I ever saw hummus I was in college when a friend of a friend from the Middle East made some of the smoothest and most delicious hummus I've ever had the pleasure to know. Baba ghanoush is another wonderful Middle Eastern appetizer and my recipe for it is
here. Toasted pita bread goes well with hummus and baba g.
2 heads garlic, roasted
3 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBSP lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
To roast the garlic, slice off the tops of the heads and pour 1 TBSP olive oil over the cut side. Place in a garlic roaster or wrap in foil. Roast for about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. With a tiny fork, remove the garlic from the skin covering (or squeeze them out with your fingers).
Place remaining 2 TBSP olive oil and other ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix thoroughly. Serve with crackers or pita chips.
