Sharing my go-to back pocket style recipe for the easiest, creamiest hummus. I make this often for lunches, doubling the recipe, so we have leftovers for snack time, dinner, and even breakfast with a jammy egg. As much as I love making a big batch of beans, the truth is for hummus, I often do not taste a difference between using dried beans and canned beans. For me, the biggest tips I could give you is to start with creamy tahini, process for longer than you think (around 3-4 minutes), and add more ice water (not olive oil) if needed, a tablespoon at a time until very silky.

Once you have that ultra creamy hummus, you can top it with whatever fun toppings you have around. Or you can just add olive oil, a sprinkle of cumin and chopped parsley. But today, because I am in a tomato world, we are eating ours with tomato confit.

I’ve talked about tomato confit before with this focaccia, and if you’ll notice in that version I have you slow roast for multiple hours. While that is in general my more preferred method for certain recipes, and for storing in the fridge, today’s recipe is the much quicker version (and just as delicious). It also depends on what my day is looking like. During these Covid months with us being home, I’ll let the tomatoes go low and slow, but if you are looking for a quicker meal, simply increase the heat and shorten the time.

If you have been following me on instagram you know I have been talking a lot about roasting tomatoes for a freezer sauce. This is basically my favorite version ever for eating tomatoes, besides a BLT of course. So whether you are doing a slow confit, or my faster confit, the idea is all the same. Fill a baking sheet with tomatoes, big or small, add salt, pepper, garlic, and your favorite herbs to pair with tomatoes, then top with olive oil and let the magic happen in your oven. If I am turning this into a freezer sauce, I’ll let the larger tomatoes go for hours until they are shriveled and collapsed. I’ll allow everything to cool (sometimes just leaving in the cold oven over night), pinch off the skins, mash all together, and then transfer to freezer bags, making sure to taste before storing. I’ll lay the freezer bags flat, mark the date on the bag, and into the freezer they go. These defrost in minutes, and make the best pizzas, pasta, and soups all winter long.

Creamy Hummus with Tomato Confit
Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice from 1 lemon
1 large garlic clove, peeled, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons olive oil

STEPS
Add minced garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt to the food processor. Pulse it to combine. Add in the tahini and 1/4 cup ice water and process until smooth. Add in the chickpeas, and combine, with motor running slowly stream in the olive oil, process until hummus is very smooth, light and creamy, for around 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding in more salt or lemon juice. If you are looking for a more smooth hummus add in additional ice water, a tablespoon at a time, while the motor is running.

Place a doll of hummus in the middle of the plate and spread in a circular motion from the inside out.

Finish with a big spoonful or two of the tomato confit, additional olive oil if needed, and fresh basil.

Tomato Confit

INGREDIENTS
2 pints cherry tomatoes, stemmed
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3-5 sprigs fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

STEPS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper, top with herbs, and give the whole pan a shake or two. Place in the oven and bake for about 35-45 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan. Remove from the oven once the tomatoes are wrinkled. Allow to cool, and then to store, fill your glass container, adding additional olive oil on top to keep the tomatoes submerged.