A springtime twist on hummus, this Asparagus Hummus recipe combines a lovely grass-green dip with fragrant, earthy, dukkah-spiced pita chips.
Blanch asparagus by plunging into a large pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set on paper towels to dry.
In a blender or food processor, add chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, and puree. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and asparagus, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in oil and process until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with spiced pita chips.
Dukkah Spiced Pita Chips
Preheat oven to 375°. Separate each pita bread into two rounds. Brush cut sides with olive oil, then cut into small wedges. Place wedges on a baking sheet; set aside.
Heat a heavy, dry skillet over high heat; add pistachios and toast about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove nuts to a medium mixing bowl. In the same skillet, toast sesame seeds about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add seeds to pistachios. Repeat toasting process with coriander, cumin, and fennel, adding to same bowl. Add peppercorns, dried mint, and salt. Use a mortar and pestle to crush ingredients until they are the size of small bread crumbs (or pulse in a food processor to a dry, coarse consistency — be careful not to overprocess).
Sprinkle dukkah spice mixture evenly over oiled pita wedges and toast the pita in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
