Carrot Hummus
·Soak the chickpeas
Tip the chickpeas into a large pot and cover with cold water almost to the top. As they soak, the chickpeas will absorb the water and swell up. After 12 hours, drain and cover with fresh water. Leave to soak for at least another 12 hours at room temperature.
Season and add the carrot
Drain the chickpeas and tip them into a large pot. Add the peeled carrot along with a little ground paprika and chilli.
Simmer
Cover with cold water so the chickpeas and carrot are floating freely and fully submerged. Bring to the boil. If the water evaporates during cooking and drops below the level of the chickpeas, top up with hot water. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Cooking tip
The chickpeas need to be completely soft. You may notice the skins starting to slip off towards the end of cooking — don't worry, that's totally fine, in fact it's a sign the chickpeas are perfectly ready for blending.
Drain and blend
Drain the chickpeas and carrot and transfer to a tall container. Add the garlic cloves, warm milk, salt, freshly ground pepper and the butter, which will melt in beautifully. Blend until smooth.
Serving
Serve with fresh bread, sprinkled with sesame seeds and dried tomatoes.
