Dip into My Favorite Italian Flavors
I love appetizers, and you can’t beat this one for eye catching layered appeal, filled with everyone’s favorite Italian flavors!
This delicious appetizer stemmed from the more famous Mexican layered dips and is great for a crowd, or a family gathering, but is also easily made in individual servings – just set up an assembly line on your counter and fill each cup going down the line with each layer.
In my version I use smashed and flavored white beans, a black olive tapenade, roasted red peppers, goat cheese, pesto, tomatoes and basil, but you can BE BRAVE and add other favorites such as cream cheese, chopped artichokes, peperoncini or even some chopped giardiniera (Italian marinated vegetables). For ease and convenience buy high-quality store-bought items for each layer, but you can also choose to individually prepare each layer at home.
I prefer to serve my dip in the bowl, with toasted bread or crisp crackers, but you can try a neat “restaurant style” trick. Before layering the dip in a bowl, line the bowl with plastic wrap. Then start layering and make sure that your top is perfectly flat. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then overturn onto a plate. The plastic wrap should help it come out of the bowl, if not, place a warm, damp towel on the bottom of the overturned bowl, and that should help the dip to dislodge.
Enjoy this delicious dip with family or friends this holiday season, or make it for a light lunch or dinner along with a Charcuterie Board – blog post on that coming soon!
Happy Cooking!
Italian Layer Dip
Ingredients
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon O&V Sicilian Dipper mix *
1 tablespoon O&V Unflavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) plus more for drizzling *
6 oz O&V Black Olive Spread *
2 roasted red peppers (1/2 jar or fresh peppers roasted, cooled, peeled and chopped)
4 -6 oz goat cheese or cream cheese
¼ cup O&V Pesto alla Genovese * (more, if needed)
2 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons O&V Balsamic vinegar *
Salt and Pepper to taste
Basil leaves for garnish
Toasted Bread or Crackers to Serve
Preparation
Mash the drained white beans in a bowl. Add the Sicilian dipper spice blend, some cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon of EVOO. The mixture should be smooth or chunky to your liking – I prefer the consistency of re-fried beans. Add EVOO as needed to thin out the mixture.
Chop the red peppers and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with cracked pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the goat cheese till it is smooth. Add a little EVOO to create a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chop the tomatoes, deseed and add to a separate bowl. Season with salt, pepper. Add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and combine.
In your serving bowl, layer the items in the following order: Mashed beans, black olive spread, chopped roasted red peppers, goat cheese, pesto, seasoned chopped tomatoes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with toasted bread or crackers.
Serves 6
Active Time: 20 minutes. Total Time: 20 minutes
Notes
* The Sicilian Dipper is a great mixture of garlic, oregano, thyme and basil. You can substitute with a combination of dried oregano, thyme, basil and some garlic powder.
* I love the convenience and taste of our French Black Olive Spread, but you can put a can of sliced black olives in a food processor and process with ¼ cup of unflavored oil, 2 cloves of garlic and cracked pepper.
* One of my favorite things in the store is our Pesto alla Genovese. You can substitute with homemade pesto if you prefer. Email me for a wonderful home-made pesto recipe.
* The high quality unflavored EVOO and Balsamic vinegar give these layers clean, amazing taste – Feel free to substitute other high-quality oils and vinegars if you choose
Categories: Snacks & Sides, Appetizer, Vegetarian, Vegan-Option, Gluten-Free, Layered Italian Dip, Italian Appetizer, Crostini, White Beans, Sicilian Dipper, Black Olive Spread, Roasted Red Pepper, Pesto alla Genovese, Tomatoes, Balsamic Vinegar, Perfect Holiday Appetizer, Holiday Entertaining, Mediterranean Diet, Plant Based, Vegetarian Entertaining
