Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　1 hr

　　Using a pastry bag to pipe the hummus onto the pita toasts saved us a lot of time (and made for nice-looking hors d'oeuvres). You can make your own pastry bag with a heavy-duty plastic bag. Just spoon the hummus into the bag and squeeze it into one corner. Then snip off the corner to make a small hole and begin piping.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 160 hors d'oeuvres

　　10 (5- to 6-inch) pita pockets

　　3/4 cup olive oil

　　2 teaspoons paprika

　　

For hummus

4 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted

　　2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chick-peas, rinsed

　　1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1/2 cup stirred tahini (Middle Eastern sesame paste)

　　1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1/3 to 1/2 cup water

　　11 1/2-ounce jar smoked whitefish caviar

　　Garnish: 160 small fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　

Toast pitas:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Halve pitas horizontally and stir together oil and paprika. Brush rough sides of pitas with paprika oil and season with salt. Cut each pita round into 8 wedges and bake in single layers on a large baking sheet in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until crisp.

　　

Make hummus:

Step 3

Finely grind cumin seeds in an electric coffee/spice grinder. Purée chick-peas in a food processor with cumin, garlic, parsley, tahini, lemon juice, and salt and add enough water to make smooth.

　　

Assemble hors d' oeuvres:

Step 4

Put hummus in a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain tip. Pipe a scant 1/2 teaspoon onto each pita toast and top with 1/4 teaspoon caviar.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　• Pita toasts may be made 2 days ahead, cooled, and kept in sealable plastic bags at room temperature.

　　&149; Hummus can be made (without lemon juice so parsley remains green) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Stir in lemon juice just before assembling.