Savory Roasted Garlic and Sage Cannellini Bean Spread

This spread is smooth and rich due to a generous pour of olive oil.  Seasoned with roasted garlic and sage, it's perfect for the winter months. I served it as a Thanksgiving appetizer with a crusty olive bread, but it's fantastic with crackers, or even as a vegetable dip. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Head Garlic

1 15.5 oz Can Cannellini Beans

1/4 Cup Olive Oil, Extra for Drizzling 

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice 

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Scant 1/4 Teaspoon Cracked Pepper

3/4 Teaspoon Dried Sage

TOOLS

Food Processor 

To begin, preheat a toaster oven, or standard oven to 400 degrees.  Place the whole head of garlic in the center of a piece of tin foil and drizzle with a teaspoon of oil.  Close the foil around the garlic to form a a small packet. Bake until  the cloves are soft and can be squished from the papery casing, about 35 to 40 minutes. I made extra roasted garlic which is also delicious on its own.

Rince the cannellini beans in a colander.

Place the rinsed beans into a food processor. Squeeze in the entire head of garlic cloves.  I know that this sounds like a lot, but the roasting transforms the flavor to be far less pungent.  Add the salt, pepper, and dried sage.  If you don't have sage handy, rosemary would work well as a substitute as it shares the same earthy flavor.  Pour in the lemon juice and olive oil, and blend. 

Continue the mixture, pulsing occasionally, for two minutes until the spread is completely smooth without any graininess. Depending on the beans, you may want to add additional olive oil a little at a time for the spread to be completely smooth.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil. 

Makes 1 1/2 cups