Basics: Fresh Hummus

Another installment of our (very) occasional series on basics, staple recipes every cook should have in their arsenal.

Everyone who is anyone makes their own hummus. Sure, a tub of the prefab stuff might tide you over for lunch now and again, but once you have made your own, there's no going back.

Time to get acquainted with the wonders of dried beans: mysteriously hard litter kernels, transformed by a bath into chalky globes of goodness.

WARNING: using dried beans requires at least eight hours of lead time before you have a bowl of delicious spread in your hands. But it's so worth it. The canned will do in a pinch, but the quality of the ingredients will certainly shine through.

Fresh Hummus

1 cup of dried chickpeas (or 15 oz of canned chickpeas)
2-3 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon tahini (optional)

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least eight hours.

2. In a food processor or mortar, combine garlic, olive oil, the juice from one lemon and tahini.

3. Rinse chickpeas and add to food processor. Pulse until desired level of smoothness. Add more olive oil if it seems dry.

There are a million ways to make it your own. What is your favorite variation or signature tweak?