If you’ve ever eaten at an Italian restaurant I’m sure that you’ve enjoyed a nice piece of crusty bread dipped in olive oil.  But have you ever had the pleasure of tasting white bean hummus served with that olive oil?  I was recently at a restaurant where they stirred herby, creamy white bean hummus into the oil and I absolutely loved it.  I liked it so much, in fact, that as soon as the meal was over I decided that I was going to make my own white bean hummus at home so I could eat it by the spoonful!

To be honest, I didn’t actually intend to eat this hummus by the spoonful, but as soon as I blended together the rosemary, beans, garlic and lemon juice I couldn’t help but lick the spoon 2 or 3 or …7? times!  It was just SO delicious!  The rosemary is fragrant, the lemon is bright, the garlic is strong (as it should be!) and the white beans are blended into a smooth, creamy consistency perfect for dipping.

Italian White Bean Hummus
(Recipe from Racheal Ray)

You will need…
1 – 15oz. can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
3 sprigs Rosemary, leaves removed from the stem and roughly chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Olive Oil (approximately)
Salt, to taste
3 tablespoons Tahini

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the bowl of a blender or food processor.  Blend together until smooth, adding more olive oil as you go if needed.  I used a Vitamix and found that blending on low between speed settings 2-4 while using the tamper to push the ingredients into the blades worked well.  Once the hummus has reached a creamy consistency use a spatula to scrape the dip into a bowl.  (Don’t leave any hummus behind… you’re going to want to eat every last drop!)  Serve with crackers, crusty Italian bread, or just a spoon.  🙂