One of my life beliefs is that every party should have a bowl of hummus. Store-bought is totally fine, of course — we’re living in a golden age of hummus brands, after all — but put out a bowl of the homemade stuff and it becomes the star of the snack table. And pink hummus? That’s a real show-stopper. Here, Melisa Denizeri Orley shares her recipe…
“When I have loved ones over, plain hummus doesn’t cut it. I’ve been serving this one almost all of my adult life, and it never disappoints,” says Melisa. “Kids are always impressed, too. My daughter once asked, ‘Mommy, did a unicorn make this?’”
One tip Melisa recommends? “Shell your chickpeas. This isn’t just part of a recipe but a nudge towards slow living. I grew up in Istanbul, and back home, these cooking tasks are done in the company of friends or family — sometimes with a Turkish soap opera playing on the tiny kitchen telly.”
Pink Party Hummus
by Melisa Denizeri Orley
1 large red beet
1 medium yellow beet
1 cup of dry chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 6 hours minimum)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and sautéed
olive oil, to drizzle into the food processor for preferred texture (no measurement, it’s a challenge!)
2 (heeeaaaping) spoonfuls of tahini
1 tablespoon of salt to start
toasted pine nuts (optional, just for fun)
Pro tip: If possible, try to get high-quality tahini from a Middle Eastern food store. If that’s not doable, I also love the brand Soom.
Preheat your oven to 400F. Wrap your whole beets (skin on) in foil and place in the oven for an hour. Cook the chickpeas on the stove: Put the soaked beans in a pot and add enough water to cover them, with an extra inch above. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until tender. They should be ready in about 45 minutes.
Remove the beets from the oven, and while they cool, shell your chickpeas (call a friend!). Gently rub each chickpea and the skin will peel off. This is key for silky texture. Set a handful aside for serving. Then, when the beets have cooled down enough to handle, rub the skin off and chop them into pieces. (Make the pieces fairly small. Even though they’re going in a food processor, starting with smaller pieces ensures a smoother finish.)
Add the garlic, chickpeas, and beets into a food processor. (I like the Cuisinart mini — can’t deal with the large one.) Drizzle with oil, add your tahini and salt, and blend. Pause after a minute to taste the mixture, and adjust the seasoning as you see fit. Blitz again while you alternate adding drizzles of oil and 1-2 tablespoons of water for desired consistency. Find your rhythm.
Serve, if you’d like, with pan-toasted pine nuts and the reserved chickpeas on top. For dipping, I find it goes best with endives and carrots.
What do you serve at parties? (We also love Jenny’s three bowls and this Midwestern classic.) You can find more of Melisa’s dishes on her newsletter, Dream Dinner Guest.
P.S. More party ideas, including the simplest dessert and are you a party host or enthusiastic guest? Plus, our jarred tomato sauce taste test.
(Photos courtesy of Melisa Denizeri Orley.)
