Step 1

Place lemon juice, garlic cloves, tahini paste,olive oil and water in a food processor, and whip this up until creamy.

Step 2

Add the salt, pepper, cumin, chickpeas and blend until really smooth. Add more cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until it is the consistency you like, and blend for 3 more minutes.

Step 3

Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Add any optional additions you like.

Step 4

To serve, spoon the hummus into a wide, shallow bowl or onto a plate or platter, using the back of your spoon to create a “well” for the olive oil (or other sauces). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Za’atar.