Smoky Eggplant White Bean Dip With Pita Crisps Food

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pierce each eggplant with the tip of a knife in about 10 spots. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until very soft and cracking in a few spots, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut each eggplant open lengthwise and scrape out the flesh with a large spoon; discard the skin. Place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Add the parsley, mint, oregano, lemon juice, chiles, salt and olive oil. Puree for 20 seconds to combine. Allow to cool slightly before serving with crackers.

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 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.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat the grill. Meanwhile, in a blender combine 3/4 cup olive oil, the oregano, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until you have a rough purée, 2 to 5 minutes depending on how strong your blender is. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Purée should be well seasoned.
• Split pita breads in half along their seams to make 6 flat rounds. Brush both sides of each pita round with herb purée.
• When grill is hot, cook the eggplant, whole, until skins are shriveled and flesh has collapsed, about 8 to 12 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Grill pitas until crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Let rest for a minute or two until cool enough to handle but still very warm, then slice each round into 6 wedges.
• Peel eggplant and put flesh in a food processor with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Purée, then taste and add more lemon or salt (or both) if needed. Serve the dip spread on a plate, drizzled with more olive oil and garnished with mint, dates and pomegranate seeds if desired.

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut each pita half into 8 wedges and arrange over a large baking sheet.
• Brush the pita wedges with 2 tbs of the oil, then sprinkle with the oregano and 1 tsp each of the salt and pepper.
• Bake for 8 minutes, then turn wedges over and bake until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining salt and pepper.
• Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsley chopped.
• With the machine running (puree), stream in the remaining 1/3 C olive oil until the mixture is creamy.
• Season the dip with more salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with warm or room temp pita crisps.

SMOKY RANCH DIP

Steps:

• Put all of the ingredients (except for what you're going to use to hold the dip), into a mixing bowl and whisk until everything is well mixed.
• Refrigerate the dip until you are ready to use it.
• Scoop into your desired serving bowl, and serve.

SMOKY EGGPLANT & WHITE BEAN DIP WITH PITA CRISPS

Steps:

• Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with oil. Rub the eggplant all over with 2 Tbs. of the oil and sprinkle the flesh side with 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and the 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Arrange the eggplant, flesh side down, on the baking sheet and broil until the skin is charred and the eggplant flesh is very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, if using anchovies, mash them into a paste with the side of a chef's knife. Roughly chop the garlic, sprinkle it with a generous pinch of kosher salt, and mash it into a paste with the side of a chef's knife. Transfer the anchovy and garlic pastes to a food processor and add the beans, 2 Tbs. of the oil, and 1 Tbs. water. Purée until smooth.
• When the eggplant is done, set it aside to cool briefly. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the pita wedges with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lower the rack so it's 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the pita wedges until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin and add the flesh to the puréed beans in the food processor, along with the lemon juice, chopped mint, and oregano. Pulse briefly to form a chunky dip. Adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and mint leaves, with the toasted pita crisps on the side for dipping.