We have this thing about pickled vegetables.
We've talked about this before.
Giardiniera used to be my favorite topping on the earth when I was in college; I would literally eat it at every possible chance I could get. I even attempted making my own once--it wasn't the greatest experience (my refrigerator never smelled the same)...
Regardless, you can always count on a great jar of giardiniera hiding in the back of our fridge. I love it on pizza, and I absolutely devour it mixed with cream cheese or hummus.
This hummus/feta/giard snack has been a family-favorite of the Lemans for some time now. It's one of those snacks where everyone gathers around the kitchen island, silently dipping cracker after cracker into the bowl until it's completely gone. Good family bonding right there. :)
This snack makes a great appetizer and is really fast to make. Never tried your own hummus before? It's super easy! Great for a weekend snack too.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Feta, and Giardiniera Dip
Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything hummus recipe
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, liquid reserved if possible
2 roasted red peppers (we used canned)
1/2 cup tahini*
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
Crumbled feta cheese, to taste
Giardiniera, to taste
Put chickpeas, peppers, tahini, oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pulse a few times. Add chickpea liquid or water as necessary to make hummus smooth. (*Okay, we didn't have any tahini on hand so we just left it out. Our hummus was still totally delicious, it was just thinner than usual. I would not add any extra water or chickpea liquid if you don't have tahini.)
Once hummus is smooth and ready to eat, pour into a serving bowl. Top with crumbled feta cheese and giardiniera. Serve with crackers or crostini.
