Bruschetta With Spicy Ceci Bean Purée Recipes

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.

TUSCAN MASHED CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Pour the chickpeas into a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Drain well. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the chicken stock and pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely pureed.
• In a medium (10-inch) saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomato is softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chickpeas, stirring to combine with the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and taste for seasonings. Pile in a serving bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and serve with shards of grilled country bread.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE

Steps:

• Puree the beans in a food processor until smooth, adding the reserved liquid, as necessary, for a finished consistency that is spread-able but not too thin. Add olive paste and thyme. Puree again, and while pureeing, add extra-virgin olive oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reserve, and garnish with sprigs of thyme, if desired.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut a crispy Italian bread into thick slices. Toast or grill until light brown and crispy. Then swipe once with a clove of fresh garlic, drizzle with olive oil. Spread with the White Bean Puree. Finish with a pinch of gray salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

BROAD BEAN BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 mins. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again, then peel from their skins.
• Use a masher to roughly crush the beans with the olive oil and lemon juice, then stir through the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat a griddle pan, toast the bread on both sides, then rub with the garlic clove. Spoon some of the beans over each slice of bread, scatter over the pecorino and drizzle with more olive oil to serve.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE AND FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Place the oil in a small skillet and heat over medium high heat. Lightly dust the 16 sage leaves with flour, shaking off any excess. Drop them in the hot oil and cook just until crispy and bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans and shallot and process until very smooth. Remove the puree from the processor and pass it through a food mill or fine-mesh sieve. Place the puree in a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, chopped sage, lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Grill or broil the bread until lightly browned. While still hot, rub the slices with the garlic and sprinkle with a tablespoon of truffle oil. Spread each slice with about a tablespoon of the bean puree and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of truffle oil over the tops. Top each with a fried sage leaf and serve immediately.

BRUSCHETTA WITH SPICY CECI BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• 1. On a cutting board and using the blade and flat side of a large, sharp knife, mince and mash the garlic and salt to make a paste.
• 2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the ceci beans with the garlic paste, tahini, onion, the 1/4 cup of oil, lemon juice, vinegar, red pepper, and honey. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. The texture of the paste should be that of spreadable peanut butter; if necessary, thin it with water and pulse again.
• 3. Spread the bean paste on the bruschetta. Sprinkle with pine nuts, tarragon, and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil, and serve garnished with lemon wedges for squeezing over the bruschetta.