Whipped Pecorino Dip with Lemony Garlic Bread

The base of this dish is Greek yogurt which is whipped together with a bit of olive oil and freshly grated Pecorino Romano, providing a light and airy cheese dip.

I was in New York City last week and I met a few friends for dinner at Vic’s, an Italian restaurant in the downtown area of Noho. The atmosphere was wonderful, as, like most other NYC restaurants and bars, Vic’s was heavily decorated for the holiday season. My friend had chosen the restaurant because he described one dish he had as “orgasmic”. He told me tales of a light and airy whipped pecorino dip served with toasted bread for dipping.

Whipped Pecorino Dip with Lemony Garlic Bread

More About This Recipe

In this recipe I serve it with a quick garlic bread with a bit of lemon juice added to brighten up the bread and complement the dip. If desired make the dip a day in advance and store it refrigerated in an airtight container, then drizzle with the olive oil and top with the crumbled pecorino just prior to serving. 

Ingredients in Whipped Pecorino Dip

Greek Yogurt

The tangy flavor of the greek yogurt complements the Pecorino cheese in this easy appetizer. I use plain full-fat Greek yogurt in this recipe, labeled as 5% fat. Any less can be a bit watery.

Pecorino Romano

Pecorino Romano is unlike the soft cheeses typically used for dips, ricotta for example. Instead, it is a hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. I was immediately intrigued, and the dip lived up to expectation. It was served with bread and we promptly ordered a second round of to scrape up the remaining dip that clung to the bowl.

Olive Oil

Just a touch of olive oil adds a bit of richness to this recipe.

Instructions for this easy dip

Step 1

Whip together the Greek yogurt and Pecorino Romano. Pulse then add olive oil and continue to pulse until smooth.

Step 2

Make the garlic bread. Cut each half of the bread into 2” pieces on the bias and arrange on a baking sheet.

Step 3

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and heat through.

Step 4

Drizzle the butter over the bread then broil until crispy and golden brown.

Step 5

Heat the oil and fry the shallots until golden brown.

Step 6

Add the dip to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and crumbled cheese then top with the crispy shallots. Serve with the bread for dipping.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Rosemary White Bean Dip
• Whipped Feta Dip
• Spicy Feta Dip
• Crab Dip in a Bread Bowl

Whipped Pecorino Dip

Print Pin

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Serves 6

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the whipped pecorino:

• 1 cup 5% Greek yogurt
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons crumbled Pecorino Romano cheese

For the lemony garlic bread:

• 1 loaf crusty Italian bread, halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the crispy shallots:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

Instructions:

For the whipped pecorino:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the Greek yogurt and Pecorino Romano. Pulse until combined then add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and continue to pulse until completely smooth and combined. Season to taste with salt and stir to combine.

For the lemony garlic bread:

• Preheat oven to broil. Cut each half of the bread into 2” pieces on the bias and arrange on a baking sheet. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and heat through.
• Add the butter and allow to melt then add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and drizzle the garlic butter over the bread. Broil until the bread is golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes.

For the crispy shallots:

• Heat a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the shallots and fry until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

For serving:

• Spoon the whipped pecorino dip into a shallow bowl and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and top with the crumbled cheese. Top with the crispy shallots and serve the whipped Pecorino dip with the garlic bread for dipping.

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