White Out: White Bean Dip

This is my last recipe from my "Brown Bear" birthday party theme. (Yes, it has taken me about a month to get through all of them!) To recap, I did an hors d'oeuvre in each of the following colors: brown, red, black, green, blue, yellow, purple, gold, and now white.

It has turned out to be an ideal day to post the white recipe, as it is a white winter wonderland outside! We’re in the middle of a Midwestern snowstorm, and while I made this for dinner tonight, I’ll share with you Giada’s white bean dip – a fun take on hummus (without any tahini, but using cannellini beans for a creamy texture).

I would also like to mention that my friend, Sunny, could use lots of prayers right now. I mentioned a couple of months ago that she is expecting twins, and she has now been hospitalized at 25 weeks. She and her husband live far away from their families, and have a little one at home. Thank you for sending warm, positive thoughts their way.

White Bean Dip
(From Everyday Italian)
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (Kate likes to add a little lemon zest too)
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.