Who wants crabs?

Last week I wrote an entry surrounding the Brooklyn food "scene" and how the community has been changing for better and worse in recent years. This week I am going to talk a bit about my personal sense of community in Brooklyn and how food (and our dogs) have brought us all together.




This past weekend in honor of the long memorial day weekend, our close friends came up with the idea of holding a crab boil in their beautiful Brooklyn back yard. In years past we have had the opportunity to be a part of a crawfish boil and lobster boil, loving every moment. So the idea of a crab boil sounded like the perfect summer kick off. These backyard events go on for hours and are always filled with delicious food, tons of laughs and wonderful memories.




Since the crustaceans were the star of the show, I opted for a few items that could withstand the heat of the day and mingle with the other items on our menu. I made a white bean dip with homemade pitas and a cold orzo salad with sautéed zucchini and tomatoes. The orzo was tasty, but is still a work in progress, so today I will share the bean dip and pita chips.




This white bean dip recipe originated as a Giada DeLaurentis recipe on foodtv.com, but quickly became a party staple when times call for something a little heartier and healthier than the usual chips and salsa (also delicious). I have made this dip about 5 times since my first go at it last spring and a few changes have evolved. However, I owe this one to Giada. I should also add that if you are attempting this dip or another that requires beans, use a food processor. Your life will change with this piece of equipment in your arsenal. It certainly changed mine.

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

For dip:
2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chickpeas, also drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of chopped curly or flat leaf parsley, rinsed and dried
3 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

For pita chips:
1 package of pocketless pitas (about 10 large pitas)
Olive oil cooking spray
Dried oregano
Garlic powder
Salt

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.




The key to this dip in my opinion is to add more liquid (lemon juice or oil) until you find that it is at the perfect consistency (for you) for dipping. Luckily the pita chips are so hearty that they can stand up to a thick dip like this.




Another tip is to allow the garlic to build over time if you are doubling the recipe for a big party. I made the error a few batches ago and doubled the garlic along with all the other ingredients. Needless to say, a lot of altoids were used that night and some loved it while others did not. The garlic will over power if you aren't careful. If you do love extra garlic, I would suggest poaching garlic in the oil you will use or roasting the garlic. Either option will give you a great result.

Hope everyone has enjoyed the first unofficial week of summer. Enjoy oneanother and happy eating!

Original recipe is courtesy of:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-dip-with-pita-chips-recipe/index.html

Location:Brooklyn,United States