White Bean Bruschetta

Kozmic Blues's Note:

This simple, rustic appetizer has terrific flavor and is a favorite with my family. I mentioned in the directions that I like to let the bean mixture sit for a bit, but that is not included in the prep time. This is a great starter for and Italian or Mediteranean style meal.

• Total Time: 10 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 cup cannellini beans , cooked (white)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves , shredded or chiffonade
• 1 -2 clove garlic , thinly sliced
• salt & fresh ground pepper , to taste
• 6 slices crusty Italian bread , cut into 1 inch thick slices
• more olive oil , to dress the bread
• garlic , to dress the bread

Directions:

1. Preheat grill pan or broiler.
2. In a bowl, gently combine the beans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper, basil and garlic.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. It's nice if the mixture can sit for a half an hour or so.
5. For the bread: I usually warm a clove or two of chopped garlic in some olive oil to infuse the flavor.
6. This can be done on the stovetop over VERY low heat, or in the microwave heated for about 30 seconds.
7. Add a couple shakes of salt and pepper, and brush garlic oil evenly over the bread slices.
8. Toast bread under the broiler, or on a grill pan for a few minutes (3-5), until slightly brown and crisp, or until there are grill marks.
9. Top the bread slices with the bean mixture and drizzle any extra balsamic/oil over the top.
10. This bruschetta is nice served with a tossed green salad.

Reviews

[love4culinary]

This was great! I was looking for something light to have for lunch because I had a rather big breakfast one day last week, and this really hit the spot. These would be great to serve guests :-) Very flavorful! Thanks Becky~!!

[Chef SuzyQ]

We LOVED this. We doubled it to use the whole can of beans; only thing I'd do different would be maybe cut back a bit on the red pepper when you double (since the 12 oz beans aren't a full 2 cups). It was spicy, but really really good. It's kind of messy so using it as a dip might be a good idea.

[Enjolinfam]

Outstanding Dip! My family and guests loved this! I doubled the recipe and added two large tomatoes, diced. So healthy, easy, and delicious that I'm sure we'll be having this again. Thanks!!! Made for Veg*n Swap.