Pastirmali Humus – Warm Hummus with Sausages (or Pastrami)

Have you ever tried hummus warm? In Turkey, especially in the South, hummus is served warm with sautéed Turkish sucuk (sausage) or pastirma (pastrami, dried cured beef coated with spices) or with sautéed pine nuts over the top. I strongly suggest you to try hummus this way, as I feel you may be pleasantly surprised, and maybe converted to eat hummus warm as many of my friends have done.

Please adjust the recipe according to your taste, as some like it garlicky, some with more tahini and others may prefer it more lemony. This warm hummus would make a wonderful appetizer to share with friends and family. Pita bread is the perfect accompaniment.

Serves 4-6
Preparation time – 15 minutes (add 1 hour if used dried chickpeas and soaking overnight)

225gr/8oz dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight or for at least 6 hours or equivalent amount of precooked chickpeas in can
5ml /1 teaspoon salt – please adjust according to your taste-
60ml/4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
30ml/2 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, crushed – optional-
Juice of 1-2 lemons – please adjust according to your taste-
45ml/3 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste)
5ml/1 teaspoon ground cumin

To serve:
30ml/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
110gr/4oz Turkish sausage (sucuk), sliced or Bastirma, chopped in 1″ strips (or your choice of any Pastrami or sausage)
Slices of pita bread to serve

If using dried chickpeas, drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a pan with plenty of cold water. Bring to boil and boil for a few minutes. Then lower the heat and partially cover the pan, Simmer the chickpeas for 1 hour, until they are soft and easy to mash.

If precooked chickpeas are used, drain the juice and give them a little wash in a colander. Put the precooked (or cooked) chickpeas in a food processor and blitz them together with the extra virgin olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic and tahini. If it appears thick and difficult to blend, add a little more olive oil or water. Season with salt and mix in the cumin and paprika (if desired). Process until you achieve a soft, smooth paste. Refrigerate until required.

If you would like to have the hummus warm as in the Turkish way, just before serving, heat this mixture in a pan for a couple of minutes. In a separate pan, sauté the pastrami or sausage of your choice with some olive oil. Put the warm hummus in a plate with the sautéed meat over the top, scattering some ground cumin and paprika flakes over. Serve with pita bread.

Afiyet Olsun!