Hummus and Feta Sandwiches

I had a can of chickpeas sitting in the cupboard collecting dust, but I wanted to try something new (well, new to me). I love hummus, but Mark is not the kind of eater to eat finger foods unless it's at a party. We were planning on having some people over on the weekend, so I wanted to try making it before then. But that didn't solve the dilemma of having Mark try it unless it was incorporated into a meal, so that is where this recipe came in. I found some great Whole Grain Italian bread which was perfect for these sandwiches. The bread was lightweight but had a great texture to go with the hummus.  

The first time I made the sandwiches they seemed sort of dry, so I brushed some extra virgin olive oil on the bread before spreading the hummus. That really did the trick! Also, I only had crumbled Feta on hand but I used the biggest pieces, so it seemed to work without falling apart to much. If you slice from a block of feta, I would recommend using thinner slices if you don't want to overpower the hummus. Personally, I liked the thicker slices but Mark preferred the crumbles because he wanted to taste more of the hummus rather than the feta. Next time, I'll just slice the feta thinner for him :) 

A nice companion dish to the sandwiches is eggplant with garlic and cumin.

Adapted from bonappitit.com

Hummus

1 14- to 15-ounce can organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño chile

Using on/off turns, finely chop garbanzo beans and garlic in processor. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining ingredients; process to coarse puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if desired.

Note: Can be made 1 week ahead. Transfer to airtight container and chill.

Sandwiches
4 slices whole grain bread
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
8 fresh mint leaves
4 fresh cilantro sprigs
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil then spread 2 tablespoons hummus. Top 2 bread slices with sliced cucumber, mint, and cilantro, dividing equally. Arrange slices of feta atop cilantro. Top each with second bread slice and press gently to compact slightly.

Makes 2 sandwiches