Haven't had it on pizza, but chick peas over rice and hummus as a dip is pretty tastey.
A thick, Middle Eastern sauce made from mashed chickpeas, hummus is traditionally served as a spread for pita. Less traditionally, it makes a terrific dip for raw vegetables.
It is seasoned with lemon juice, garlic and olive oil and is frequently enhanced with tahini (ground sesame seeds), in which case it's properly called hummus bi tahina.
The word "hummus" comes from the Arabic word for "chickpea," a lentil that's been grown since at least 8000 B.C. The Phoenicians might have been the first to distribute the chickpea, and from early times, it's been an important foodstuff in the Near East, North Africa and the Mediterranean.
In Spanish-speaking countries, the chickpea is called the garbanzo bean. In Italy, it's ceci -- so named because the fabled orator Cicero had an ancestor whose facial wart was said to bear a striking resemblance to a chickpea. In India, chickpeas appear as channa dal. In Israel, they're ground and fried for the fritter known as falafel, the de facto national dish. In modern Middle Eastern cities, they're toasted and sold by street vendors.
Chickpeas have long been important as a Lenten food. In Jewish culture, they're traditionally served at Shiva, the seven-day mourning period after a death; their shape symbolizes the circle of life and death.
Chickpeas are a good source of iron, vitamin C, protein and dietary fiber. Hummus can be flavored with anything from red pepper to cilantro, and it's a great choice for vegetarians and anyone who wants to limit their intake of meat.
ROASTED RED PEPPER AND HUMMUS PIZZA
Hummus is available in a variety of flavors. Look for it in your grocery's deli section.
1 (11-ounce) pre-made pizza crust dough
1 (7-ounce) container roasted red pepper hummus
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 slices red onion, separated into rings
1/3 cup sliced Kalamata or black olives
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
Set oven to 450 degrees. Roll pizza dough into a large oval. Spread hummus evenly over crust. Top with tomatoes, green peppers, red onion, olives, cheese and basil. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese melts and crust is browned. Serves 4.
Recipe by Holly Clegg, of Baton Rouge, La., the author of the Trim and Terrific series of cookbooks.
NUTRITION PER SERVING: 460 calories, 18 grams fat, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 20 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber and 1,580 milligrams sodium.
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