Garlicky White Bean Dip

Just in time for the weekend, I wanted to share with you a quick and easy dip that you can make when you are entertaining or when you are going to an event and need to bring a dish.   This dip is also perfect for the hot summer months when we are all taking advantage of the beautiful weather and trying to eat outside as much as possible because it won't spoil--no mayonnaise here folks!

I've been making different versions of this recipe for years.  Well, really ever since Brad and I went on our honeymoon to Malta where we had this AMAZING white bean dip (called 'Fazola bit Tewm' in Malta) served alongside bread our first dinner out.  In Maltese cooking, they make the dip with butter beans, soaking the beans and cooking them from scratch, but I find it much easier to just use canned beans.  I prefer cannellini beans, but any white bean will work.  Most recipes call for some variation of white beans, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and salt.  The amounts used depend on your taste.  I love garlic, so I make mine very, VERY garlicky.  But, if you don't like garlic as much as I do, you can always add fewer cloves.  You can also play around with the consistency of the dip.  I like it on the thicker side, but if you want yours more loose, just add more olive oil.  There's really no way to mess this up.

Once you've made the dip, you can serve it right away or store it in the fridge for up to a week.  See what I mean?  Perfect for any sort of get-together!

Garlicky White Bean Dip
2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 large handful of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Using a strainer, drain and rinse the beans, shaking off all the excess water.

Pour the beans in a food processor.  Roughly chop the garlic cloves and add on top of the beans.  Next, toss in the parsley and salt and pulse everything together a couple of times in the food processor.

After a couple of pulses, begin drizzling in the olive oil.  Once everything looks smooth and creamy with tiny flecks of green, you're ready to scoop it out and serve.

The dip goes great along side almost anything from pita chips and toasted bread to pretzels or plantain chips.  Just make sure if you make it super garlicky that everyone else around you is eating it too.  Otherwise, you might start scaring people off :)