Loaded Hummus

Meat Free Week 2019 is coming up this month and we can’t think of a better recipe to eat more plants! SERVES 6-8 INGREDIENTS:

3 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons tahini paste

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

½ red onion, finely sliced into wedges

½ cup pomegranate seeds

½ bunch dill, leaves pickedZa`atar:

1 tablespoon dried thyme, crushed in a mortar and pestle

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon sumac

½ teaspoon sea salt METHOD Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Mix all the za`atar ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Pat dry 1 can of chickpeas and drizzle with 25ml of oil and season with a pinch of sea salt. Place the chickpeas on a lined oven tray in as single layer. Place the tomatoes cut side up on another lined oven tray and season with sea salt and drizzle with 25ml of olive oil. Place the chickpeas and the tomatoes into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the chickpeas are crispy and the tomatoes have wrinkled. For the hummus, place the remaining 2 cans of chickpeas in a food processor along with the remaining oil, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, honey and a pinch of sea salt. Blitz until the mixture is smooth, adding a little extra oil or warm water if the mixture needs loosening.  Spread the hummus on the base of a large platter. Top with the crispy chickpeas, roast tomatoes, onion, pomegranate, dill and a sprinkling of the za`atar mixture. Serve with toasted bread or fresh vegetable crudités for dipping. This recipe was provided by Courtney Roulston for Meat Free Week 2019. The campaign runs from 23-29 September in support of Bowel Cancer Australia.