Basil, Pine Nut and Chilli Humdinger Hummus…

Hot, hot day. Cat flat out on the flags. Just been sipping some cold, cold fizz, then fancied something to nibble before supper later. So, in from the sun and out with the ingredients for a home made hummus that just is so suited to such a lazy day as this.

Ingredients

1 400 gm can chickpeas – don’t you just love that name – chickpeas…conjures up images of hens shelling pea pods.
Bunch of Greek basil – though you could use ordinary
Glugs of Olive oil
1 garlic clove chopped
75 gm pine nuts – toasted lightly in a dry frying pan
Good handful of grated pecorino
1 red chilli deseeded and chopped
Salt and pepper

Pop all ingredients, apart from olive oil, into a blender and treat to a serious whizz. Then stop and add several good splashes of olive oil to start to loosen the mixture. Whizz again merrily for a mo. Add a grind of rock salt and a brief grind of black pepper.

Tip out into a bowl and adjust the olive oil to get to the consistency you want. Serve with warm pittas or grissini…and a glass of cold beer. Summertime…. and the eating is easy……