Turkish Yogurt Hummus

The meze table — or selection of "little foods" — that greets guests in eastern Mediterranean homes is not only a wonderful tradition for entertaining but a wonderfully varied source of inspiration for feeding oneself in the hot summer months when appetites are not so enormous. And if hummus is already one of the classic staples of "little food" tables, what could be more appealing on the very hottest and most humid of summer days than a light and fluffy hummus made with yogurt instead of tahini, as in this refreshingly tangy Turkish version adapted from Martha Rose Shulman's Mediterranean Harvest?

This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair - Second Helping - hosted by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook.

Turkish yogurt hummus

1 cup dried chickpeas
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons whole fat yogurt
juice from 3 lemons
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts

Rinse the chickpeas and soak overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and discard the soaking liquid the next day and add the chickpeas to a medium saucepan covered in several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are buttery soft. Drain and set aside.

Place the garlic cloves in a food processor fitted with steel blades and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped and sticks to the side of the processor. Scrape the garlic down to the bottom and add the cooked chickpeas and cumin. Process until the beans form a coarse paste. Add the yogurt and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Stir in the salt and add black pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish.

Just before serving, heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. When hot, toss in the olive oil, wait a few moments, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the pine nuts and gently fry until golden brown. Spoon the pine nuts and drizzle the oil over the hummus.

Serve with fresh vegetables and/or triangles of pita bread. Makes 2 cups and keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.