Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip
This is a dip in the spirit of Greek and Macedonian htipiti, the spicy roasted-pepper spread usually bound with feta and olive oil. Rebuilt on white beans, it keeps the sweet smoke of charred red peppers and the warm heat of Aleppo pepper while turning into a spread you can eat by the bowl. Roasting and peeling the peppers yourself is the one step that cannot be skipped, because that char is the whole flavor; jarred peppers are usually packed in oil and salt and taste flat by comparison. Cannellini beans blend to a silk that needs no cream, and cost a fraction of what cheese would. Make it a day ahead for a party, or keep a tub in the fridge as the thing you reach for with cut vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 reds Bell peppers
- 1 1/2 cups Cannellini beans, cooked and drained
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 2 tbsp Dill, chopped
- 1/4 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Roast the whole peppers under a hot broiler or over a flame, turning until the skins are blackened all over, about 12 minutes. Charring the skin does two things: it cooks the flesh to sweetness and it lets you slip the bitter skin off, which is what keeps the dip smooth.
- Put the charred peppers in a bowl, cover, and let them steam for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins and pull out the stems and seeds. The trapped steam loosens the skin so it comes away in sheets; do not rinse them under the tap, or you wash the smoky flavor down the drain.
- Blend the peeled peppers with the beans, garlic, lemon juice, and vinegar until thick and smooth. The cannellini are what make this dip creamy and give it body, standing in for the crumbled feta and oil of a traditional htipiti while keeping it a whole-food spread.
- Pulse in the Aleppo pepper and black pepper, then taste. Aleppo brings a warm, fruity, low heat rather than a sharp burn, and it is the seasoning that makes the dip taste finished without any salt; add a little more if you want more edge.
- Scrape into a bowl and fold the fresh dill through by hand. Chill for an hour if you can, since the dip firms up and the flavors settle. Serve with raw vegetables, or spread it thick on grilled bread-free flatbread or into a grain bowl.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 95 calories, 5 g protein, 4 g fiber, 25 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
