Oh hummus...how I love your vegan Israeli flavours dancing round my tastebuds with every dip of veggies or chips!

Hummus is quick. Hummus is easy. But you must get your ratios right! Its taken me several...(I really do mean SEVERAL) attempts to finally get this one down, but I think I am now there...I've had ones that have blown your head off with too much Paprika, ones where I have used too much garlic giving me 'death breath' for days and ones that are simply grainy and dry...this one however is smooth and creamy just what you need on a Friday summers eve with a glass of wine and some, some crudités and pitta...

Ingredients:

1 x 400g tin Butterbeans

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Lemon

4 Tbsp of Olive Oil

2 Heaped Tbsp of Tahini

1 Red Pepper

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

Additional Pesto Salsa topping: 1 x Tomato, 1/4 onion, 2 tbsp chick peas, olive oil, 1 x tbsp Pesto

Method:

1. Firstly, chop your pepper up into pieces and pop in the oven smothered in some olive oil and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Then pour all the contents of the tin of butterbeans into a pan and 'heat' (not boil) for 5mins.

2. Drain your butterbeans using a sieve, pop them in the blender with the juice of 1 Lemon, 1 garlic clove (crushed), the Olive Oil, Tahini, cumin and Smoked Paprika.

3. Wazz it up! Then add your cooked chopped Pepper, Salt and Pepper and Wazz again until smooth.

4. Voila! Put in the fridge to chill, it will last upto 4 days refrigerated.

5. For the additional salsa topping, chop the tomato and onion small and pop into a bowl with the chickpeas. Stir in the olive oil, pesto and season with some salt and pepper. Spoon onto the top of the hummus and enjoy! This really does give the dip that extra 'specialness'

Recipe Tip: The key ingredient here is the veg. (Red pepper). The Hummmus looks pretty dry until you add this and then it becomes smooth and creamy how you want. You can mix this up and change it to a different veggie, Red onion works well and so does Beetroot.