Herbed White Bean Spread On Garlic Toasted Bruschetta Recipes

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS, TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 1 hour.
• Drain beans; return to pan. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
• Transfer 1 1/2 cups beans to medium bowl (reserve remaining beans for another use). Mix in tomatoes, olives, 4 tablespoons oil, basil and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Place bread on baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Spread with cheese. Top with bean mixture.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Place beans in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Bring to boil. Boil 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans.
• Return beans to same saucepan. Add celery stalks, carrots, onions, pepper, cloves and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. (Beans and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Drain beans, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Discard vegetables, cloves and bay leaf. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add 2 cups beans (reserve remaining beans for another use), both cheeses, 3 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons butter, rosemary, sage and reserved 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Stir until cheeses and butter melt, whisking constantly and mashing come of beans to form thick chunky sauce. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Arrange bread on large baking sheet. Brush top of each bread slice with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Rub with cut side of garlic clove halves. Broil bread until lightly toasted. Transfer bread to plates.
• Spoon bean mixture atop bread. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Rinse the beans well and then put in a 1-quart saucepan. Cover with water to 1-inch over the top of the beans. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Immediately take the pot away from the burner, cover and hold for 1 hour. Change the water; add half of the extra-virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove and the bay leaf. Cook beans on low. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender. During last 10 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in carefully. Remove from heat and hold in the saucepan with the cooking liquid until cool. This may be done 1 to 2 days before serving, and kept refrigerated.
• For the bruschetta topping:
• Preheat a grill or stove-top grill pan.
• Grill the bread on both sides until crispy. Be careful on high heat as bread burns easily.
• While bread is grilling, in a saute pan on medium heat, toast the sliced garlic in the olive oil. When it is light golden, add the chili flakes, cook for 10 seconds and then add the basil leaves. Do this carefully, as the basil may spatter some oil.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the pan. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bean cooking liquid (or liquid from canned beans) and mix all together. Hold warm. Adjust consistency, as necessary, with the bean liquid, a little at a time.
• When the basil leaves are wilted, remove mixture from the heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chopped parsley. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, to taste, and salt and pepper.
• Lightly swipe the remaining garlic clove on 1 side of the bread. Arrange the toasted bruschetta on a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. Top each piece with some of the tomato-bean mixture, then evenly divide the ricotta salata over the mixture. Serve warm.