White Bean Dip with Pecorino Romano

To me, cannellini beans are so quintessential Italian. They're a staple of Italian cooking, particularly in Tuscany, and can be found in tuna salads, pasta dishes, minestrone soup, and much more. I spent a lot of time in Tuscany when I was younger (I have relatives on my mom's side who live in a little town outside of Pisa called Migliarino) and in Rome, where I spent the spring semester of my junior year in college. I have such a fondness for cannellini beans, and sometimes I'll simply sauté them with white onion and olive oil and call it a night. 

I've always loved white bean dip, but until last night I had never made it before. It's a good alternative to hummus or guacamole and as I quickly found out, just as easy to make. I threw together this recipe and was very pleased with how it turned out. The garlic gives it a little kick and the mixture of pecorino romano and lemon juice makes it incredibly flavorful. 

White Bean Dip with Pecorino Romano

Serves 8
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup parsley
2 tablespoons lemon (and a little lemon zest for extra flavor, if you want)
1/4 cup pecorino romano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve with gluten-free crackers (I love Glutino's Gluten Free Table Crackers; they contain soy lecithin but it doesn't seem to bother my stomach), red pepper, carrots, or any vegetable of your choosing.

Don't you love my new bowl and plate from Anthropologie? I couldn't resist.