Hummus Filo Party Cups

Ingredients

• 8-10 ready-baked mini filo cups, or 3-4 sheets filo pastry brushed lightly with olive oil and layered in a mini muffin tin
• 1 cup thick hummus
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for finishing
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded if watery and finely diced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, dill, or mint
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Black pepper
• Pinch of chili flakes, optional
• Fine salt, only if needed after tasting the hummus

Method

1. If using ready-baked cups, warm them in a 180 C / 350 F oven for 3-5 minutes so the pastry tastes crisp and freshly baked. If making cups from filo sheets, layer brushed filo, press into a mini muffin tin, and bake at 180 C / 350 F for 8-10 minutes until golden and dry.
2. Stir hummus with lemon juice, olive oil, and black pepper. It should be smooth enough to spoon or pipe, but still thick enough to hold shape in the cup. If the hummus is very stiff, add 1 teaspoon cold water.
3. Mix cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, sesame seeds, lemon zest, a few drops of olive oil, and a tiny pinch of salt if needed. Keep this topping juicy but not wet; drain off excess tomato liquid before assembling.
4. Spoon or pipe hummus into the cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Add the cucumber tomato topping.
5. Finish with olive oil, extra sesame, herbs, lemon zest, and a small pinch of chili flakes. Serve within 20-30 minutes for the best pastry crunch.