Garlic White Bean Basil Hummus + Homemade Toasted Pita Chips

A delicious, fresh tasting appetizer that will please any crowd.

Nikki's Notes:

• This is a garlicky dip, so if you don't like a lot of garlic (I even cut the original garlic ingredients in half, you will want to add 1 clove and adjust to your taste buds. As the dip sits, the more the garlic flavor come through too.
• In a pinch, I bought Stacy's sea salt pita chips in the deli section and they were perfect.
• For gluten free, just serve with corn tortillas or vegetables.
• This is definitely a go-to dip and will be making many times over.  Everyone was asking for the recipe and it keeps very well in the fridge for left overs. 
• Makes a great spread on sandwiches too! 

Ingredients

• 3 (6-8 inch) whole wheat pitas
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil, or olive oil cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-6 large basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut each pita into 8 wedges. and place wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or spray with olive oil cooking spray and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt all over wedges adding other spices if desired; toss again to coat.

Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet and bake about 8-10 minutes, until pita chips are golden brown. Flip over once halfway through baking. Cool on pans.

Meanwhile to make your hummus: combine beans, garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a couple of times until the mixture looks somewhat chopped. Add in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil while the machine is still running. Let process until the mixture is creamy.

If the mixture appears to be too thick, add in a teaspoon of water at a time to thin it out. Otherwise, season with additional salt and pepper to your liking and drizzle the top with a tiny bit of olive oil. Dip away!

Notes

The hummus should be stored in the refrigerator and can be made 1 day ahead. The pita chips should be kept at room temperature in a container.

Source:  Ambitious Kitchen