The Amazing Black Chickpea: A Wonderfully Unique Hummus

I love using ingredients that aren’t as common here in the States. “Ceci neri” are a rare kind of chickpea found in certain parts of southern Italy & India. In Italy, these nuttier, more robust & less likely to crumble version of their beige counterpart are used in pastas & risottos. Often times as an after thought using leftover chickpeas & their reserved cooking liquid.

On a rainy spring day I decided to experiment & make a hummus with these unique and flavorful chickpeas. Black chickpeas can be cooked up & used in exactly the same way as conventional chickpeas to make one unique & striking hummus.  It’s now my favorite hummus recipe!

Their nutty and robust flavor gives the hummus an incredible depth. Serve with a variety of cut up veggies or spread on a sandwich or collard green for an incredible wrap. You can also sprinkle them atop a salad 😋 

Some of their amazing health benefits: 

🖤Higher in iron than conventional chickpeas, perfect for preventing anemia & boosting energy levels. 

🖤Soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar & keeps you satiated longer. 

🖤Essential vitamins & minerals found in these babies are great for hair health, even helping to prevent premature greying of hair. 🥳

🖤Phytonutrients minimize hot flashes in post-menopausal women. 

Pro Tip: Soak overnight before cooking. I just pour them into a pot & cover with water. Easy peasy. Soaking the chickpeas also makes them more easily digestible.

🛍I bought an organic variety on Amazon. 

Recipe below!

Yields 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 (14-oz.) bag black chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked black chickpeas

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

1/4 cup well-stirred store bought tahini

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tbsp water

Dash ground paprika or sumac, for serving and a few sprigs of parsley to top it off

Preparation

1.Cook the black chickpeas according to packet. Soaking the chickpeas overnight helps reduce the cooking time and makes them easier to digest.

2.In a food processor (I love using my little Ninja), combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

3.Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 tsp of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended. Drain the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

4.Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.

5.Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. Top with fresh parsley before serving. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.

Buon Appetito!