My quick hummus

• By Marco Brown

This is a classic, which you can serve as part of a buffet or as a simple dip with drinks. The quick method is this.

You will need:

A can of pre-cooked chickpeas, half a cupful of water, half a cupful of extra virgin olive oil, a spoonful of tahina, the juice of half a lemon, two or three cloves of garlic.

Drain a can of pre-cooked chickpeas and blend them to a paste with half a cupful of water and half a cupful of extra virgin olive oil. Don’t skimp on the quality of the oil, because it will make a difference. Don’t even try to use a different kind of oil to olive oil. When you have a creamy consistency, add a spoonful of tahina, which can be bought in jars from good supermarkets now. Tahina is a sesame-based paste, and it gives the hummus a pleasant, slightly nutty taste. After adding the tahina, blend again, adding the juice of half a lemon and two or three cloves of garlic. Refrigerate it before serving.