Spicy Pepper Hummus

I always loved the Sabras brand of hummus but it's much more fun to make your own because you can intensify the flavors to your preference and experiment with additional ingredients. Hummus is one of those dips that is perfect for any sort of fresh bread or pita and tastes delicious with whole grain or corn chips. This picture above is the Hummus family of ingredients.

Ingredients: From left to right:
about 2 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper dried flakes
4 fresh garlic gloves
a little more than 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fire roasted red pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 teaspoon za'atar (can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets)
1/4 cup tahini (also known as sesame paste)

Directions:
1. In a food processer, blend the garlic gloves until they are settled on the bottom of the processor. Then blend the fire roasted red pepper until it too has settled along the sides of the processor.
2. Add in the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, za'atar and red pepper flakes.

3. Pulse processor until you get your desired consistency, pausing to scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. Taste test it along the way to see if you would like to add more tahini, lemon or any more of the spices.

4. When it is at your desired consistancy, transfer hummus into a tupperwear container and place in the refigerator for at least 20 min. Bring to room temperature before serving

For extra spicyness, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper!