Get in on the bean trend. Home entertaining and holidays are a natural mix. Domenica Marchetti’s “Big Night In” is out just in time for holiday ideas.

She takes Italian way beyond pizza and into polentas, chowders, stews and vegetables in this book, subtitled “More than 100 Wonderful Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends Italian-Style.” After a story about how Tuscans once cooked beans in a glass flask in the fireplace ashes, she admits availing herself of the canned variety in the kind of white bean dip that is as trendy to this season’s tables as pomegranate drinks are to the bars. Here’s how she does it:

White Bean Dip with Rosemary

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves

1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

Freshly-ground pepper

2 tablespoons water, optional

Combine beans, oil, garlic, herbs, salt and a liberal grinding of pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process to a thick puree. If the mixture seems to dense, drizzle a little water in through the feed tube while the processor is running and process until smooth. Spoon the dip into a decorative bowl and drizzle with a little more olive oil.

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