This dip is always a winner. I’ve been making it for the past year, after I discovered it on Ottolenghi’s book Plenty. It’s very easy and requires very little ingredients. also you can make it ahead of time and keep in the fridge until 30 min before serving. It is great as a dinner party dip.
These polenta chips I make to accompany it are also a big success, however they are more time-consuming, but still very simple. I had to make them a couple of times before mastering their crunchiness and thin texture. If you don’t feel like making them, you can easily serve the dip with some other crackers.

For the dip:
-1 avocado, ripe
-150 gr greek yogurt
-juice of 1 small lemon
-1 tbls olive oil
-salt & pepper

For the polenta chips:
-750 ml water
-150 g quick cook polenta
-breadcrumbs or semolina
-10 gr of chives or mint or rosemary, chopped finely

For the dip mash the avocado in a bowl then add the lemon juice, greek yogurt, olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste. done. if not using right away, cover and refrigerate.
For the polenta chips: pour the water in a small pot and bring to a boil; salt the water and pour the polenta in slowly while stirring (in italian we call this “rainfall”, the polenta has to look like rain falling slowly but steadily). low the heat and keep stirring, making sure there are no clumps, for about 5 minutes, according to the time of your polenta package. turn heat off and add the chopped herbs (chives or mint or a mix of both). here comes the tricky part: quickly prepare a wide wooden chopping bord (you might need two) and with a wet spatula lay the polenta on the wooden board as thinly as possible (1-3 mm). this is the process that might take some time to master. let sit on the board for 20 minutes.
Turn the oven on 350 (180 celsius). prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then grab a plate and place 1/2 cup of semolina or breadcrumbs in it. Cut the polenta carefully into 1.5 inch (4 cm) squares. with a knife remove the polenta from the board and cover with semolina on both sides then set on baking tray. Do this until you finish the polenta, you might need to do this twice if you finish space on the tray. bake in the oven, with the grill setting on, for 20 min or until they are browny looking.

They are delicious with any kind of dip really, best if eaten the same day because they loose their crunchy texture in the following days.

Getting into the christams mood….and we are working on an “alternative” christmas tree this year.. 🙂