2. Combine the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of the food processor or blender.

3. Process the hummus continuously until it becomes very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to integrate any large chunks.

4. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to taste. If your hummus is stiffer than you'd like, add more lemon juice or olive oil to thin it out and make the hummus creamier.

5. Scrape the hummus into a bowl and serve with pita chips or raw vegetables. Hummus will also keep for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Hummus Variations:

--For even tastier and more authentic hummus, try cooking your own chickpeas from scratch.

--Add 1 to 3 teaspoons of spices for more flavor, like cumin, sumac, harissa or smoked paprika.

--Drizzle a little pomegranate molasses or sprinkle a pinch of sumac on top.

--For a roasted vegetable hummus, blend in 1 cup of roasted vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, or garlic.

--For an olive hummus, fold in 3/4 cup of chopped green or black olives.

--For a nutty hummus, blend in some lightly toasted walnuts, almonds or pine nuts.

--For a more lemony hummus, add 1/4 cup of chopped preserved lemons.

(Emma Christensen is recipe editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to kitchn@apartmenttherapy.com.)