Ezme & Hummus

Sharing dishes like this over the summer months is such a delicious way to eat. The juicy ezme salad is Turkish-inspired and works perfectly served with creamy hummus and some pita bread to graze on. Simply add fish or grilled meats and make it a full meal. Both the ezme and hummus can be made in advance so all you have to do is make some final touches to serve. Created by Chef Tom Walton

Ingredients

Ezme 

• 100 g (1) small red onion
• 250 g (1) large red capsicum
• 300 g (2) vine-ripened tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley & dill
• 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives, torn
• Sprig of dill

Hummus

• 400 g tin chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• ⅓ cup tahini
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ cup water
• Juice 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 2 teaspoons za’atar
• ½ cup yogurt (to serve)

Directions

1. Roughly chop the onion, capsicum, tomato, garlic, and herbs and place into the jug of the Vitamix. Blend the ingredients on speed 2 for 10 seconds then scrape down the sides using the spatula and continue to blend for another 10 seconds.
2. Add the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cumin season, salt and pepper.
3. Spoon this into a bowl, clean the blender jug then add the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, water, and lemon to the jug with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blend to a smooth creamy texture, using a little more tahini to thicken or water to thin, if needed.
4. To serve, spoon the hummus onto a serving plate and make an indent in the middle, spoon in the yoghurt then drizzle with the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and za’atar.
5. Spoon the ezme onto another plate and top with the olives and dill. Serve dishes with warm flatbreads to dip through.