Ingredients:

 1 (1 lb. 13 oz.) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained;

1 cup of the tahini (ground sesame paste);

1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-6 lemons), divided;

3 tablespoons of chopped garlic (9 cloves);

11/2 teaspoons of ground cumin;

1/2 teaspoon of Sriracha;

Good olive oil;

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper;

1 large hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved, seeded and 1/2-inch diced;

2 cups of heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved and quartered;

1 cup (1/2 inch-diced) Holland red bell pepper red bell (1 large);

3/4 cup (1/4-inch-diced) red onion;

1/2 cup of julienned fresh mint leaves, for garnish; and

Toasted pita bread, for serving.

 Directions:

 For the hummus, place the chickpeas, tahini, 3/4 cup of the lemon juice, the garlic, cumin, Sriracha, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper in a bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blades and process until the mixture is completely smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water until it is creamy but still thick and spreadable. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil, the remaining 1/4 a cup of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and combine. Spoon the hummus into a large 12 x 16“serving platter, spreading it out with a raised edge. With a slotted spoon, mound the vegetable salad on the hummus, leaving the edges of the hummus visible. Sprinkle the vegetables and hummus with the mint and extra salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature with pita bread.