Buzz
Photography: Greg Dupree, Prop Styling: Julia Bayless, Food Styling: Emily Nabors HallThis hummus recipe shines with its low-and-slow cooking technique, perfect for creating confit tomatoes. By roasting whole garlic bulbs and cherry tomatoes gently in olive oil, you achieve caramelized garlic and sweet, jammy tomatoes. The process is largely hands-off, and the addition of lemon peel and fresh oregano during roasting fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. Half the roasted garlic is blended with chickpeas and tahini to form the hummus base, while the other half adorns the tomatoes. The garlic becomes so soft it spreads like butter.
Don’t discard the leftover confit oil—it’s a treasure trove of flavor. Use it to enhance salads, grains, vegetables, pasta, or even as a dipping sauce for bread or pizza crusts.
Ingredients
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2 medium heads garlic
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1 pint cherry tomatoes
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2 strips lemon peel, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon)
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2 sprigs fresh oregano
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1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
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1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
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1/3 cup tahini, well stirred
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Za'atar (optional), for garnish
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Fresh oregano leaves, for garnish
Directions
Prepare garlic and tomatoes for roasting:
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Trim the top 1/2 inch of the garlic heads to reveal the cloves. Place the garlic heads, cut side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish. Surround them with cherry tomatoes, lemon peel strips, and oregano sprigs. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pour olive oil over everything, ensuring the tomatoes are mostly covered.
Slow-roast tomatoes and garlic:
Bake until the tomatoes are soft and slightly wrinkled, ensuring they don’t burst, and the garlic turns tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours. Move the garlic to a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes. Use your hands or tongs to gently squeeze the cloves out of the garlic heads.
Prepare the chickpeas:
While the tomatoes and garlic roast, place the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and gently rub to remove the skins. Discard the loose skins (it’s okay if a few remain).
Mix hummus ingredients:
Blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil from the baking dish (save the rest for later), half of the roasted garlic cloves, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a food processor until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. While the processor is running, gradually add 3 to 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water until the hummus reaches your preferred consistency.
Assemble and garnish the hummus:
Scoop the hummus into a serving bowl. Using a slotted spoon, place the roasted tomatoes on top of the hummus. Add the remaining garlic cloves as a finishing touch. Sprinkle with za’atar (if desired) and fresh oregano leaves for garnish.
Make Ahead: Store the hummus and tomato topping separately in the refrigerator for up to three days. Allow them to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
