Garlic, Lemon & Herbs… White Bean Dip

No, I'm not crazy for listing ten cloves of garlic in this smooth, silky and oh-so-savory bean dip. When you cook garlic very slowly in hot olive oil, the flavor becomes much milder than when eaten raw. When covered securely, this dip stays great sitting in the fridge for a few days, so it's a dip that will take care of you and your guests, all throughout the weekend. And just to give you something crisp and wonderful to use as a scoop, I've included a recipe for some delicious Savory Pita Chips, which also can be made well ahead. I'd also serve some wide strips of sweet red bell peppers and endive standing decoratively, each in a separate pretty dish or stemmed glass.

Special Equipment
• Food processor

Ingredients
• 3 generous tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 can (19 ounces) can, plus one can (9 or 10 ounces) white cannelini beans, drained
• 10 medium cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but highly suggested)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Conventional Cooking
1) To assemble the dip: Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and, when warm, add the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and reduce the heat to low, sauté very gently, until tender but barely colored, 5 to 8 minutes, occasionally stirring with a flat edge spatula, to redistribute. Stir in the thyme, parsley and red pepper flakes, if using, and let heat for a few seconds, just to release the herb's flavor. Drag the pan to a cool burner. Pour the drained beans into the food processor, fitted with the steel blade. Add the sautéed garlic and any surrounding olive oil and the lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Add salt and black pepper to taste (mixture should be well seasoned).

2) To store and serve: Scrape the bean dip into a crock and chill, well covered, until 30 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh vegetables and Garlic Pita Chips (see the recipe that follows).

Savory Pita Chips

Ingredients
• 2 large pita rounds (with pockets), cut in half and each half opened, for a total of 8-half moons.
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 generous tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon aromatic dried oregano, crumbled
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated best-quality Parmesan cheese

Conventional Cooking
1) To make pita chips: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Press 2 cloves of garlic through a garlic press directly onto your cutting board. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt over the garlic. Using the blade of a sharp 8-inch chef's knife, mash and scrape the garlic with the salt until you create a paste. Scrape the garlic paste off the board and place it into a small bowl with 2 generous tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well with a fork.

Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture lightly on the outside surface of the bread. Stack them (seasoned side up) and cut the stack into 3 wedges for a total of 24 seasoned pita triangles and arrange (seasoned side up), on a wire rack within a shallow baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

2) To serve and store: Let the chips cool on the rack until just warm, and then pile them into a bowl and serve. Store any leftover chips in an air-tight tin.