Homemade Artichoke Dip

Grease the baking dish.

In bowl, mix the garlic, parmesan reggiano, and mayonnaise. Do not whip: just stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Add the drained artichoke hearts and mozzarella to the mixture and stir until fully mixed. Over the top of the mixture, sprinkle the paprika. If desired, more parmesan reggiano or mozzarella may be added at this point.

The dip should bake 30 minutes with the cheese bubbling, but (in the end) the surface should become lightly browned. Here, is where Asiago cheese may be added (just before removal from the oven) if a sharper flavor is desired.

• For this recipe, consider using only artichokes packed in water. The dip is often greasy when artichokes packed in oil are used.
• If an extra kick is desired, adding more paprika and another layer of cheese will spice it up. A layer of tortilla chips also may be added inside the cooked dip.
• Adding some fresh garlic to the dip will give it a different flavor. However, use minced or jarred garlic to keep the dip lively; powdered garlic dulls the taste.