Roasted-pepper hummus

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6

After an Israeli friend mocked my very basic attempt at hummus, I was determined to raise my game; this is the result.

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper (capsicum), large.

• 2x 400g cans chick peas.

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic

• juice of 1 lemon

• pinch of sweet paprika

• ½ sprig fresh parsley

Directions

1. Quarter the pepper lengthways, brush with olive oil, and grill until it begins to char; turn and repeat. Remove from heat. Once cool, chop roughly.

2. Chop and lightly fry the garlic in one tablespoon of the oil. Don’t let it brown; as it begins to turn golden, remove from the heat.

3. Rinse and drain the chick peas. Reserve a couple dozen and put the rest in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the tahini, red pepper, lemon juice and garlic, and another tablespoon of oil. Blend with an electric hand mixer.

5. Spoon the mixture into a serving dish. Using a spatula, flatten the surface with circular strokes, leaving a small ditch in the middle.

6. Fill that ditch with the reserved chick peas. Sprinkle the surface with paprika and shredded parsley. Drizzle a little olive oil in a circle around the chick peas.

7. Serve with pita and olives.