Tasty Travels: Mediterranean Mindset

I love cooking with a Mediterranean mindset – it is my favorite cuisine. I somehow always manage to add lemon, capers, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and olives to my dishes, whether it be chicken, salmon or pasta.

I really enjoyed having falafel and hummus when I was in Israel a few summers ago – there’s nothing like it! Although I’ve never made hummus myself, after storing this recipe in my back pocket for quite some time, I plan to finally give it a try!

Falafel in Israel

You’ll need:

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda, divided
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • ⅓ cup (or more) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
  • ⅔ cup tahini
  • ¼ teaspoon (or more) ground cumin
  • Olive oil (for serving)
  • Cold water
  1. Place chickpeas and 1 tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl and add cold water to cover.
  2. Cover and let sit at room temperature until chickpeas have doubled in size, 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.
  3. Combine soaked chickpeas and remaining 1 tsp. baking soda in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover.
  4. Bring to a boil, skimming surface as needed. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until chickpeas are tender and really falling apart, 45–60 minutes. Drain; set aside.
  5. Meanwhile, put garlic, lemon juice, and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor, process until coarse; let sit 10 minutes to allow garlic to mellow.
  6. Strain garlic mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible. Return liquid to food processor; discard solids.
  7. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With motor running, add ¼ cup ice water by the tablespoonful and process (it may seize up at first) until mixture is very smooth, pale, and thick.
  8. Add chickpeas and cumin and process, occasionally scraping down sides, until mixture is extremely smooth, about 4 minutes. Thin with more water if you prefer a looser consistency; taste and season with salt, more lemon juice, and more cumin as desired.
  9. Spoon hummus into a shallow bowl, making a well in the center, and drizzle with oil. Top as desired.

Some topping ideas are: paprika, fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley; fried chickpeas, paprika, and chopped parsley; tahini, cooked chickpeas, and chopped parsley; toasted pine nuts and roasted chopped red peppers. Pair with a warm pita bread for a delicious snack.

Bon appetit,

evasigfinal (1)

If you enjoyed what you just read we would love to have you join the Wonderlost community! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter for even more travel tips and inspiration.

Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

  • andy1076November 7, 2016 - 10:06 am

    I love any and all Mediterranean foods, It’s soooooo packed full with tastes ☺️ReplyCancel

Mother

Yoga + Meditation Instructor World Traveler

Story Teller

Explore

EXPLORE

Free Class

Subscribe

follow along on instagram: @erinnicolepratt

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER

powered by meditation, creativity, & love