Methods/steps

Preheat oven to 375°.

Clean the beets by scrubbing them under cold water. Remove any stem ends or tails. Place the beets in an oven-safe baking dish and add about a 1/4 cup of water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Beets are ready when fork tender. Allow to cool, then remove skins by rubbing under cool water. Pat dry with paper towels. Dice beets and place in a food processor or blender with the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt and garlic (you may need to work in batches), and blend until smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream. Once the mixture is a smooth puree, add the bread crumbs and pulse a few times until just combined. If the puree is too thin or thick, add more bread crumbs or tahini/olive oil. Turn off the food processor and check for seasoning. Adjust salt, cumin or garlic according to your palate, and spoon into a serving dish. In a small separate mixing bowl, combine the feta, orange zest, Italian parsley and mint (fresh cracked black pepper can also be added). Garnish the hummus with the feta mixture.