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I was in college when I first tried hummus. It was my sophomore year, and my roommate had just come home from the grocery store and among the items in her bag was a package of pita bread and a big tub of hummus. When she offered me some, I had no idea what it was and just thought it was a regular dip. I was surprised when I found out it was made from chickpeas, and couldn’t believe how delicious it was.

Hummus is wonderful because you can eat it in so many ways. I love putting together crudité platters—carrots, cauliflower, asparagus and fennel with hummus as a dip. I often use hummus as a sandwich spread—it’s especially perfect on roasted veggie paninis. And then there are simply crackers or pita bread—they make a fantastic snack.

So how can something be so 1, delicious, 2, nutritious, and 3, easy to make? After making my own hummus, I truly don’t think I could ever buy it again. Other than having to soak the dried chickpeas overnight, there is really nothing to this recipe. It consists of only a few ingredients, and with a food processor, comes together in no more than five minutes.

This hummus is truly addicting. It’s so smooth and creamy, and has a wonderful, nutty flavor. I think the next time I make it, I’ll play around with different flavors—perhaps make a roasted red pepper variety, or maybe try it with pine nuts, or even Greek olives.

My love of hummus has expanded to other types of dips. Baba ghanoush, a mash of smoky eggplant and spices, is another one of my favorites. When B and I went on vacation to Greece last year, we had many an appetizer of fava, a delicious dip made of mashed fava bean. And of course the classic white bean dip—love how simple and tasty it is with chips. But hummus will always be my favorite… and I’ll never be buying it at the store again.

Recipe: Hummus
Adapted from The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert
Makes 4 cups

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4 cup sesame seed paste
• Cayenne or hot Hungarian paprika
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Rinse the soaked chickpeas well and drain them before putting them in a saucepan and covering them with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil; skim, add one-half teaspoon salt, cover and cook over medium heat, about 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are very soft (you might need to add more water).

Meanwhile, crush the garlic and one-half teaspoon salt in a mortar until pureed. Transfer the puree to the work bowl of a food processor, add the sesame seed paste and process until white and contracted. Add one-half cup water and process until completely smooth.

Drain the chickpeas, reserving their cooking liquid. Add the chickpeas to the sesame paste mixture and process until well-blended. For a smoother texture, press the mixture through the fine blade of a food mill. Thin to desired consistency with reserved chickpea liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt. The hummus can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.) Serve, sprinkled with paprika and drizzled with oil.