The Nosh Recipe

Prepare and Blend

Rinse the canned chickpeas briefly under cold water and drain, reserving up to 1/4 cup of the canning liquid. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, and kosher salt. Pulse to break down the mixture, then run the processor continuously while drizzling in the cold water or reserved chickpea liquid a tablespoon at a time until the hummus is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Adjust seasoning and finish. Taste and add additional salt, lemon, or olive oil if desired. Transfer to a bowl, create a shallow well in the center, drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle smoked paprika. Keep at room temperature while assembling the rest of the plate.

Blend Ricotta and Basil

Place ricotta, packed basil leaves, honey, lemon zest, sea salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the basil is fully incorporated and the ricotta is light and slightly aerated, about 30–45 seconds. If the mixture seems too thick, add up to 1 teaspoon olive oil or 1 teaspoon water and pulse once or twice to loosen while keeping a whipped texture.

Taste and balance. Adjust honey or salt to taste. Transfer whipped ricotta to a serving bowl and chill briefly or serve at cool room temperature. Drizzle with a little extra honey just before serving, if desired.

Combine and marinate. In a small bowl, mix the olives, smashed garlic clove, lemon peel strips, thyme sprigs, crushed red pepper flakes, olive oil, white wine vinegar, and black pepper. Toss to coat well. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes; for deeper flavor, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Before serving, remove and discard the thyme stems and garlic if desired, or leave them in for presentation. Transfer olives to a small serving dish and spoon a little of the marinade over the top.

Preheat and prepare

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F / 200°C). Brush both sides of each naan lightly with melted butter or olive oil and season with the 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Grill the naan. Place naan on the hot grill or grill pan for about 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed in spots and lightly charred. Press gently with tongs to get even contact. Remove and keep warm stacked under a clean towel to retain softness. Optionally sprinkle chopped parsley over the naan for color.

Arrange components. On a large sharing board or platter, spoon the tahini hummus into one shallow bowl and the basil-honey whipped ricotta into another. Place the marinated olives in a small dish. Fan or stack the warm grilled naan nearby.

Garnish and finishing touches. Drizzle a scant teaspoon of honey over the whipped ricotta and scatter microgreens or basil leaves over the board. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil over the hummus and a final sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired.

Serve immediately. Invite guests to dip warm naan into hummus and ricotta and enjoy olives alongside. Leftovers: store hummus and ricotta in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; marinated olives keep for up to 5 days refrigerated.