Game Day

Roy always requests this dip. So, on Super Bowl Sunday, he of course asked that I make it. Good thing that I love this dip too. Think of it as a creamier version of hummus. It only takes a few minutes to make, and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. I especially like it with Giada DeLaurentiis' version of pita chips, which is included in the recipe below.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

1 15 oz can cannellini beans
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup lightly packed basil leaves
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 white or whole wheat pita breads (I used whole wheat in the photo)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Place in single layer on baking sheet. Brush one side of the pita with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, turn pitas over and bake another 8 minutes until they are golden and crisp. Set aside to cool. 

Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine the beans, basil, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor and pulse to combine. With machine running, slowly add the 1/3 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon).

Makes 4-6 appetizer servings.


Note: Once you've made this dip a few times you won't even need to refer to the recipe. Basically, you just need to throw in some beans, lemon juice, an herb, and garlic. I often replace the basil with flat leaf parsley which is also delicious. You can replace the cannellini beans with garbanzo beans. You can adjust the garlic and lemon to your liking. This dip can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. The pita chips can be made one day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.