Hummus with Forty Cloves

Hummus with Forty Cloves is full-bodied but surprisingly mellow…the secret is a long slow roasting of all that garlic!  This conversation starting appetizer is guaranteed to be the hit of your next party!

*This post is in partnership with O Olive Oil

Hummus with Forty Cloves sounds outrageous, but hold on, before you get nervous, this is not an overpowering dish.

I don’t do things by halves.  Why should I when I can get such great results by pushing the envelope just a little bit.  It’s what makes all the difference between a ho-hum appetizer and a memorable one.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m not a huge garlic fan, so you can take it from me.  The garlic flavor in this hummus is deep and rich, for sure, but not pungent because we’re talking about forty roasted cloves of garlic.  They’re sweet and mellow, not sharp.  I used O California Roasted Garlic Oil  in the dish and as a final drizzle on top to reinforce that lovely flavor.  It’s one of O’s newer products and I think you’re going to want to down it by the spoonful.

Where to find roasted garlic

You can sometimes find them already roasted in specialty or ethnic markets.   They come in little jars or plastic containers, they keep well in the fridge, and they’re super convenient to have around.

But a better idea is to roast them yourself, it’s not difficult and the flavor will be that much fresher and more vivid.   It takes about an hour or so, so plan ahead.

How to Roast Garlic

• Slice off the tips from a few bulbs of garlic.  Be sure to slice the tip end and not the root end, so the whole clove stays intact.
• I drizzle each clove with a little bit of the Roasted Garlic Oil first, then arrange them cut side up in a small pan, and pop it in a 350F oven for about an hour or so.  I cover it loosely with foil so it stays moist and doesn’t burn.

As the garlic roasts it softens and caramelizes so that it is no longer as potent, but just as flavorful.

You can now squeeze out the cloves from their papery skins — be sure to count out forty!

This is a crowd pleasing appetizer that can go from game day to holiday party without missing a beat.

Just before serving  drizzle on more of that luscious Roasted Garlic Oil, and garnish with some fresh thyme.  Serve with pita triangles, chips, or veggies.  This will NOT disappoint!

Want to make your own amazing pita bread?  Check out my recipe for How to Make the Perfect Pita Bread!

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4.5 from 4 votes

Hummus with Forty Cloves

Hummus with Forty Cloves is full-bodied but surprisingly mellow...the secret is a long slow roasting of all that garlic!  This conversation starting appetizer is guaranteed to be the hit of your next party!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mediterranean

Yield 10

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans
• 40 cloves of roasted garlic or 4 bulbs of fresh garlic for roasting how to below
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp Roasted Garlic Olive Oil
• approximately 1/4 cup tahini
• salt

garnish

• a few roasted garlic cloves
• O Roasted Garlic Oil
• fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

• If you are roasting your own garlic, preheat the oven to 350F
• Slice the tip end off of each bulb of garlic. Set the bulbs cut side up in a small baking dish or on a piece of foil. Brush or drizzle with the Roasted Garlic Oil. Cover loosely with foil and roast for about 60-70 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Set aside to cool. When cool, pinch out the cloves by squeezing from the bottom of the head with your fingers, they'll pop right out.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas really well. Put in a food processor along with forty cloves of garlic --- count 'em!
• Puree for several minutes, scraping down the sides of the machine often, until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the lemon juice and Roasted Garlic Oil and continue to puree, scraping down the sides often.
• Add in the tahini and salt and blend well. Finally, add 1/4 cup cold water and give it a final few pulses. Taste the hummus to adjust any of the ingredients.
• Turn the hummus into a serving dish, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon.
• Just before serving garnish with a few more garlic cloves, a drizzle of Roasted Garlic Oil and some fresh thyme leaves.

Love hummus?  Here’s more ~

• Warm Hummus with Mushrooms

• 50 Ways to Hack Your Hummus

• Farmers Market Hummus