WHB: Herb Pita Crisps And Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Like many people, I've been pre-occupied with getting ready for Thanksgiving.  This year I'm not making the traditional meal with turkey and mashed potatoes. Instead, I'm serving shrimp and crab file' gumbo.  There won't be many side dishes.  No one in my family would eat them, because they take up valuable stomach space from the gumbo.  But, I did make a terrific appetizer that was so good, I had to talk myself down from eating it all up right after I made it.  This sun-dried tomato dip is absolutely fabulous.  Upon tasting it, my friend Nancy exclaimed, "It's like Italian flavors exploding in your mouth!"   It's perfect paired with the herb pita crips.  As the herbs are quite pronounced here, this makes a perfect dish for Weekend Herb Blogging, which was created by the fabulous Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen.  The delightful Truffle at What's on My Plate is hosting WHB this week.

This is a recipe where you can use whatever herbs you like. I used oregano, dill, and thyme, but decided the latter was my favorite.  It was perfect on the pita strips.  I prefer fresh thyme, whcih I used here, but the dried variety is very good too. 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

Herb Pita Crisps

(From Canapes by Eric Truille & Victoria Bashford-Snell)

2 garlic cloves minced
6 Tablespoons olive oil
4 pita breads, (I used white and whole wheat)
2 Tablespoons each of fresh thyme and dill, finely chopped
Kosher or sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180C.  Mix the garlic and oil together. Cut or slice the pita breads into strips and seperate each strip into two pieces, brush with the garlic oil and sprinkle with the salt and herbs.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 7-15 minutes. Check on them as they bake and take them out when they are golden brown.  Store in an air tight container.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Cannellini Bean Dip

From Canapes by Eric Truille & Victoria Bashford-Snell)

1 14 oz. can of cannellini beans drained
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup or more water
salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it's smooth. Add more water if it's too thick.  Adjust the seasoning. 

Comments

[peabody]

Way to be non-traditional. For Chirstmas if it is just my hubby and I, we make steak stuffed with crab. So I say great idea.

[Peter]

Sher, I love the crisps! People pay to buy these in the market when they are so easy to make? Thank you for this post and I just might try the sip too!

[Lydia]

Yum! We're making a hearty soup as a main course, too. Every year we do something different, but it's rarely the traditional turkey dinner. Enjoy!

[Patricia Scarpin]

What a delicious recipe, Sher!
I'm gonna make it next time we want something special to nibble!

[Rosa]

That looks great! Sometimes, it is more interesting to prepare non-conventional meals during the festivities...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cheers,

Rosa

[Katie]

I want to come to your house for Thansgiving!
What time are you eating?
Love the crisps... and the dip...

[Kevin]

I like the sound of cannellini bean based dip with sun dried tomatoes. Nice photos.

[Anh]

Happy Thanksgiving, Sher! :)

[Julie]

Shrimp and crab gumbo for Thanksgiving? Yes! What a great idea.

I'm bookmarking this; I'm on the lookout for good appetizer recipies right now. This sounds simple to make -- always a plus, especially when you're getting ready for having a crowd over.

[Kalyn]

I think that sounds like a great Thanksgiving menu! Love the sound of the pita crisps and the sun-dried tomato dip! I can use whole wheat pita and make it very South Beach friendly too. Hope you're having a good Thanksgiving.

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Holy Moly Sher, the crisps and the dip look wonderful. Soon as I'm home, I must make a batch of this. It might just have to be for a good lonely night by myself!

[Glenda Kapsalis]

This sounds like a lovely combination of my favorite beans - cannellini _ and tangy sun-dried tomatoes. I can imagine it topped with crumbles of chevre! I'm going to make it soon - and the pitta crisps as well. Nice recipe and pictures.

[Deborah]

I'm gonna have to save this - I love dips, and those pita crisps sound like the perfect thing to eat with the dip!!

[Tamara]

I made the dip tonight! It was really great. I'll have to watch the amount of garlic I add as mine was particularly strong and one of my kids said it was TOO SPICY! I love that the ingredients are all things that I keep on hand too.

[Laurie Constantino]

Wow, both those recipes sound really delicious, and also easy; the perfect combination. Thanks for the post!

[Lisa]

Oh, my gosh. Just catching up here, and you have been cooking the most wonderful things! I'm tagging this right away -- both the strips and the dip are big-time keepers. I love the tomatoes with the cannelini beans; what a great dip.

[Lisa]

Oh, and my oregano is still hanging on, on the patio. Gotta make this tonight!

[s'kat]

Oh, I am jealous! My family would rebel were we to ever try something 'different'. Love the gumbo, and that dip ain't too shabby, either.

[Julie]

I have been looking for a vegan sundried tomato dip to make for the football game this Sunday. This will be perfect. Thanks