Roasted Red Pepper Hummus 2.0

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You may see this post and think," This bitch already posted a roasted red pepper hummus recipe. Why the dickens would I read another one?" and to that I say, "It's called growth, Karen. And I do it every day." This recipe is a step above the last in flavor but also in detail. Here I will show more of the steps, why I do them, and when.

This recipe covers the whole process from dried chickpeas and raw pepper to the final hummus and I'll leave notes for those working with precooked chickpeas or roasted peppers.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

• chickpeas
• 1/2 cup dried chickpeas
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

                or

• 1 (15oz) can cooked chickpeas
• bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• ~1 teaspoon olive oil

                or

• 1 store bought roasted red pepper    
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon, juiced (~1/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup tahini paste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons ice water

Directions:

1. Rinse your dried chickpeas and check for bad or rotten ones. Place them in a slow cooker with the water and baking soda. Cook for 4 hours or until slightly overcooked. The peas should easily squish between your fingers.
1. If you are using canned, place them in a pot over medium heat and boil ~15 minutes or until overcooked.
2. Once you have cooked chickpeas, strain the liquid off and chill the chickpeas in the fridge.
   Note: If you are using pre roasted red pepper, skip steps 3-6. 
3. Halve and seed the red bell pepper and coat it with olive oil. Don't use a lot of oil or it will spatter while cooking and cause a lot of smoke. Use just enough to cover the pepper.
4. Place the oiled pepper halves cut side down on a baking sheet and place in the oven on broil setting for 10-20 minutes. You will know they are done because the skins will blacken.
5. Remove the blackened red pepper from the oven and transfer it into a bowl. Cover the bowl for 10 minutes so it sits in its own steam. This will make peeling easier as it helps separate the two. 
6. Carefully remove the skins and chill the red pepper in the fridge. (I usually do the chickpeas and red pepper the day before making the hummus so they are nice and cold when I blend).
7. When you are ready to blend your hummus, first place a garlic clove and lemon juice in the food processor. Blend until it is well combined and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will neutralize the sharp garlic flavor so it doesn't overpower the hummus.
8. Add the remaining ingredients except for the water.
9. Blend until it appears smooth.
10. Now while it is still blending, add the ice water a tablespoon at a time. If your mixture was already quite runny, only add one but if it's thick you can add more.
11. Once it is blended in, taste the hummus and adjust to your taste. Then transfer to an airtight container and set in the fridge for 2 hours to get the final texture. 
12. Enjoy! It goes great on sandwiches, wraps, or on the side with chips and veggies.