Roasted Fennel and White Bean Dip

Adapted from Food52.com.

2 small to medium sized fennel bulbs (mine were maybe baseball size), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, still in their papery shells

Salt and pepper

½ cup olive oil, divided

2 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (either from dried or from a can works)

1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Crostini, pita chips, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the fennel and garlic cloves in olive oil to lightly coat. Evenly spread on a sheet pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for about 35-45 minutes, turning a few times during cooking, until fennel is beginning to caramelize and garlic is a golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, squeeze roasted garlic out and discard skins.

While the fennel is roasting or cooling, begin the bean puree. In a medium frying pan, heat ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add cannellini beans and cook for another 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In a food processor, combine the garlic bean mixture, roasted garlic and fennel, lemon juice, zest, and ½ of the cheese. Process until well combined. Slowly add remaining ¼ cup of olive oil to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency (may need more or less of the ¼ cup). 

Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Transfer puree into a small baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve with crostini, pita chips, or whatever you want to use for dipping.

*This is an easy dish to make ahead of time, if you make the puree beforehand and then bake to melt/brown the cheese at the last minute.