Serve with baked potatoes, baked butternut squash, steamed broccoli, and a green salad.

From K’s recipe cards

Wonderful mild chocolate brownie like dessert.

Very good and quick

“I learned to make Gras Pistas from Nadia Santini in a small restaurant called Dal Pescatore in the Montava region of Italy. The time I spent in Nadia’s kitchen was truly my greatest experience while working in Italy; while Nadia cooked, her mother and father helped, and her husband, Antonio, ran the front. Dal Pescatore was the kind of place where you went to the hen house when you needed an egg or to the eel pong when you needed an eel. Nadia taught me an enormous amount about the cooking of her region. She served this over grilled polenta, taking basil to a new plateau.
The Italians have pesto and Gras Pistas, and the French have pistou, all fo which were probably developed as a way to preserve basil. Basically a basil and parsley pesto, Gras Pistas was originally made with lard. My version uses what today’s health advocates consider more healthy—olive oil. Of course, this could all change tomorrow.
Gras Pistas is great spooned over almost anything: polenta, mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, chicken, fish, steak, or lamb, or as a dip for focaccia.”

Eggplant Dip has a great texture with a tangy, vinegary, seasoned taste that is mellowed with the pita. I also like to smear the dip inside warm crepes for a different kind of presentation.

“I’ve replaced the traditional chickpeas with white beans to create a lighter taste and texture. Use this as a dip for crudites or crispy crackers or as a sandwich spread with smoked ham and tomatoes.”