Mediterranean Layered Dip
A tantalizing appetizer featuring layers of hummus, vibrant pesto, and a medley of fresh vegetables.
A tantalizing appetizer featuring layers of hummus, vibrant pesto, and a medley of fresh vegetables.
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- for the pesto
- 1 large or two small cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1-1/2 cups fresh cilantro woody stems discarded
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- for the dip
- about 2 cups hummus
- cilantro pesto (above)
- 1/4 of an english cucumber peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pepperoncini stems removed, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes julienned
- 1/4 cup feta crumbled
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- pita chips for serving
- Carbohydrate 3.11508200189023 g
- Cholesterol 2.2 mg
- Fat 15.7204830272822 g
- Fiber 0.692280007142173 g
- Protein 2.82423100147339 g
- Saturated Fat 1.98878610333194 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (32g)
- Sodium 67.5888000245142 mg
- Sugar 2.42280199474806 g
- Trans Fat 1.46453290159075 g
- Calories 158 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
- Add the cilantro, and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the pesto to a bowl, and fold in the parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Dollop hummus onto a 8- to 10-inch serving dish, and spread it out into an even layer using an offset spatula.
- Rinse the spatula off, and then dollop the pesto on top of the hummus layer, and spread it out, taking care to disturb the hummus as little as possible; leave a 1/2-inch border free of the cilantro pesto.
- Sprinkle even amounts of cucumber, pepperoncini, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and pine nuts on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and serve with pita chips.
Layered dips fail when structural integrity collapses under the weight of wet toppings. Water management dictates success here. English cucumbers release significant moisture when cut. Peel the skin to remove tough fibers, dice the flesh, and press the pieces between paper towels for ten minutes before assembly. Excess water turns hummus runny and breaks down the emulsion of the surrounding oil.
Processing the pesto requires deliberate sequencing. Blend the garlic, olive oil, and toasted pine nuts first until completely emulsified before adding the cilantro leaves. Adding greens too early creates uneven particle sizes. Fold the grated parmesan cheese in by hand at the end rather than spinning it in the machine. Mechanical blades heat the cheese fats, resulting in a gritty texture instead of a smooth suspension.
Spreading viscous spreads demands specific physical tools. Use an offset spatula cleaned with water between layers to prevent the bottom hummus from smearing into the green pesto. Leave a precise half-inch border of exposed hummus around the perimeter to visually define the strata. When distributing the chopped pepperoncini, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and crumbled feta, scatter them evenly rather than dumping them centrally. This guarantees uniform bites across the entire eight-to-ten-inch dish.
Visual inspection replaces thermal checks for doneness in cold appetizers. Look for a glossy sheen on the final olive oil drizzle and clear color separation between the beige hummus and vibrant green herb layer. Prepared components hold in sealed containers for twenty-four hours maximum. Assemble immediately prior to serving to maintain the crunch of the pita chips.
