Mezze Platter with Hummus and Smashed Cucumbers

This fresh and colorfully arranged mezze platter is as attractive as it is delicious, and features a feast of salty and savory bites. It’s the perfect recipe to make on those warm evenings spent on the porch or patio with family and friends. Serve it as a first course or make it the star of a light leisurely supper.

Hummus

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish

Salt

Ground paprika or sumac

Smashed Cucumber Salad

1 seedless cucumber, cut into 2-inch round pieces

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced mint

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Mezze Platter

8 ounces feta cheese, cubed

1 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained

4 cups cherry tomatoes

6 rounds of pita bread, quartered and lightly toasted

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 cup pitted green olives

5 baby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise

For the hummus:

Remove any loose skins from the chickpeas and pat dry with paper towels. Place chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and olive oil in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of paprika or sumac.

For the smashed cucumber salad:

Place cucumber rounds and salt in a zip-lock bag. Smash cucumbers with a rolling pin, breaking into irregular sized pieces. Transfer to a colander and let drain for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss together drained cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, mint, crushed red pepper and lime juice until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl.

For the mezze platter:

Decoratively arrange bowls of hummus and cucumber salad on a serving tray. Fill in the rest of the tray with small dishes of the feta, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, pita bread, olives and cucumbers for serving.