Roughly mince garlic. This way, it will distribute evenly in the food processor.
Add the chickpeas (keep some for garnish, if desired), minced garlic, tahini (stir before using if there is a layer of oil on top), lemon juice, salt, and water to the food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the processor as necessary. Towards the end, add the olive oil.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or lemon juice if needed. If the texture is still thick, you can add a little more cold water to make it creamy.
Transfer the hummus to a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, and top with whole chickpeas you've set aside earlier. Serve the hummus with pita wedges, pita bread, or vegetable sticks.
Notes
Tip for EXTRA SMOOTH hummus Powerful food processor: I urge you to use a powerful blender or food processor. This makes all the difference as it obviates the need for peeling or cooking the chickpeas. I usually do not peel or cook them as I am the proud owner of a powerful food processor ;-).Peeling chickpeas: If your food processor needs a little help, you can peel the chickpeas before processing them to get your hummus ultra-smooth. Rub them against each other after draining and rinsing them until their skin comes off. Another method is to put a single chickpea at a time between your thumb and index finger and gently press it until it pops out.Cooking chickpeas: If you want to make your food processor’s life easier, cook the chickpeas. I know, canned chickpeas are already cooked. But in order to blend them super smooth, they have to be even softer and slightly overcooked. All the more if your blender isn’t that powerful. To cook them, simply place the drained chickpeas together with ½ teaspoon baking soda in a saucepan and cover them with water. Cook for 15 minutes, drain, rinse and use.