Roasted Red Pepper Dip
A creamy dip made with roasted red peppers, cream cheese and smoked paprika. Serve with whole wheat garlic toasts, crackers or fresh veggies.
Servings: 2 -3/4 cups
Ingredients
- 3 small to medium red bell peppers
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or more to taste
- 1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
For the whole wheat garlic toasts
- 8 slices soft whole wheat bread, crusts removed
- 1 clove garlic very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler, line a broiler pan with foil and coat with nonstick spray. Using a paring knife, remove the stem and any attached seeds from each pepper.
- Arrange the peppers on their sides on the prepared pan and broil, 4 inches from the heat, until their skins are slightly charred. Remove from the oven and turn them 1/4 turn to char another side. Repeat the process until the peppers are lightly blistered and charred on all sides, then tent the pan with foil and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
- Next make the whole wheat garlic toasts. Use a rolling pin to flatten each bread slice to a thickness of about 1/8-inch. Cut each slice into 4 strips and arrange them on a large baking sheet. Combine the garlic, melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush both sides of the bread strips with the mixture.
- Bake until toasted 3 to 4 minutes, turn over, and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap loosely in foil until ready to use.
- Once the peppers have cooled, remove the skins (they should slip off easily), discard any remaining seeds and transfer to the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the peppers are puréed, then add the garlic, cream cheese, olive oil, lemon juice and sherry vinegar.
- Process until smooth and well blended. Add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Taste and add more smoked paprika if desired. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the cottage cheese, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.