WHITE BEAN TAPENADE WITH PITA CRISPS
Pita Crisps
4 plain pita breads
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
optional, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Split each pita bread in half crosswise into 2 rounds. Brush the inside of each round with ½ teaspoon melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Cut each round into 8 equal wedges, and place, seasoned side up, in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. If all the wedges will not fit in a single layer on 2 baking sheets, prepare the chips in batches.
Bake until crisp and lightly browned, 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes 64 chips
White Bean Tapenade
2 cloves roasted garlic (see below)
1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
juice of ½ lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon stemmed and minced fresh sage
1 red bell pepper, fire roasted, peeled, seeded and minced (see below)
optional, 3 tablespoons minced green onion
Roasting Garlic: Preheat oven to 350°. Remove any loose leaves from the garlic head and cut off the top quarter. Place the head of garlic in a small, thick-bottomed pan and top with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven. Cook 35-45 minutes until soft to the touch. Let cool. Squeeze the cloves from the head onto a cutting board and mash and chop finely with a knife until it becomes a paste. Put in a small bowl and set aside.
Roasting Bell Pepper": Preheat broiler to high. Cut the very top and bottom from the bell pepper. Cut in half vertically and remove the stem, seeds and ribs. Place the two halves on a metal sheet pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Place under the broiler and cook until most of the skin is blackened. Remove and let cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin away from the flesh, being certain to scrape away any black bits of skin with a paring knife.
White Bean Tapenade Preparation: Combine the garlic, half the beans, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil in a food processor. Process until smooth and then transfer to a mixing bowl. Fold in the sage, red bell pepper and the remaining beans, then taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. If desired, add green onion and mix well. Serve with Pita Crisps. Makes about 2 ½ cups