{Roasted Red Pepper Hummus}

Making your own roasted red pepper hummus at home is easy and rewarding: Place a few ingredients in a blender and you’ll end up with a creamy,  flavorful dip that happens to be healthy and vegan (and loved by non-vegans, too!).

While hummus contains fiber from chickpeas, adding a red pepper adds a boost of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Reserve a spoonful of chopped peppers for topping.

Cooking tips from the Test Kitchen

• Roasting peppers is a cinch, so prepare a few extra to have on hand for tossing on pizza or into salads. We recommend broiling peppers for ease, especially if doing multiples. However, if you have a gas range and are only roasting one, you can also blister the skin directly over the flames, using tongs to hold and turn the pepper. This method gives you more control over how evenly the skin gets roasted.

• If you’d like a spicy version, broil a jalapeño or other hot chile along with your bell peppers. Rubber gloves are useful for keeping your hands clean when peeling off the blistered skin, and they’re great when dealing with hot peppers.

• Because hummus doesn’t call for many ingredients, it’s important to make sure that everything is fresh, especially your spices. To amp up the flavor, try toasting them in a small dry skillet. Keep an eye on them and stir occasionally; you’ll know they’re ready when they become very fragrant. Let cool before blending with the rest of the ingredients.

Yields: 2 cups
Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients

1 red pepper, halved and seeded
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c. tahini
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt and pepper
Fresh dill, for sprinkling
Crackers and vegetables, for serving

Directions

1) Heat broiler. Place pepper, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel off and discard skin.

2) Transfer peppers to a food processor, along with chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper and puree until smooth.

3) Sprinkle with dill and serve with crackers and vegetables for dipping.

Source: www.goodhousekeeping.com