Next time you’re snowed in and spending the day cooped up indoors, make a fun and delicious snack to pass the afternoon. This creamy white bean dip is full of flavor and easy, homemade flatbreads to dip take the whole dish over the top. The best part: you likely have everything you need to make it already waiting in your pantry.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
For The Bean Dip:
2 15 oz can northern white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 large lemon
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon chili flake
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
fresh chives or other tender fresh herbs
fresh thyme or rosemary (dried is fine too)
For The Flatbread:
1½ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
⅓ cup water\
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Flaky salt, for finishing
Directions:
For The Flatbread:
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt all together. Add in the water, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer to a floured work surface and gently knead, adding a bit more flour if necessary until no longer tacky and the surface is smooth. Set aside to rest while we make the bean dip.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Slice the lemon in half crosswise and place in skillet, flesh-side down. Cook until well caramelized and charred, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the olive oil and garlic slices and fry the garlic until golden brown and crisp, moving around with a slotted spoon to avoid burning. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, remove the garlic chips from the pan and place them in a bowl, and set them aside. Transfer all the oil to a glass measuring cup except for enough to coat the bottom of the pan, about a teaspoon or two. Shut off the heat while you make the bean dip.
For The Bean Dip:
- In the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender, add the beans, juice from charred lemon, 1/4 cup of the reserved garlic oil, chili flake, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of water if necessary to reach desired consistency. It should be about the texture of hummus. Set aside.
- Heat the cast-iron skillet to medium again. Meanwhile, divide the flatbread dough into six equal pieces and roll each out into about 1/4 inch thick roundish rustic shapes. One at a time, lay the flatbreads in the skillet and griddle for about 2 minutes, until golden and puffy. Flip and griddle on the other side. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with flaky salt. Repeat with the rest of the flatbread, adding more of the remaining reserved garlic oil as necessary. Transfer the bean dip to a serving bowl and top with reserved garlic chips and chopped chives. Serve alongside the warm flatbread.
