Soya bean pesto dip recipe

This soya bean pesto dip makes great party food or a simple, quick and easy snack. Use strips of ciabatta loaf to make your own garlic breadsticks for dipping

Ingredients

For the dip

:

• 125g (4oz) frozen soya (edamame) beans
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• About 15g (½oz) basil leaves
• 45g (1½oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200ml (7fl oz) thick plain yogurt

For the garlic breadsticks

:

• 1 small ciabatta loaf
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small bunch cherry tomatoes on the vine, to serve

Method

1. To make the breadsticks: Heat the oven to Gas Mark 6 or 200°C. Cut the ciabatta loaf into 6 slices, lengthways, then cut each of these strips into 2-3 pieces to make breadsticks. Put on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and slices of garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 10 mins until golden.
2. To make the dip: Add the soya beans and garlic clove to a pan of boiling, salted water. Bring back to the boil, and simmer for 5 mins, until the beans are just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
3. Put the beans and the garlic into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the basil leaves, Parmesan and oil and whizz again to combine. Spoon in the yogurt and pulse for just a few seconds. Serve the dip with the breadsticks, warm or cold, and cherry tomatoes.