Crostini with White Bean Puree
Here’s a fresh, elegant alternative to hummus that you can pull together in a snap. Creamy white beans are pureed with garlic-infused olive oil, fragrant herbs and fresh lemon juice, then finished with pomegranate seeds for a bright pop of flavor. We used butter beans here for their silky texture, but cannellini or Great Northern beans would also work well.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 whole clove, peeled
- 2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz./330 g) cooked white beans (from about 1 cup (7 oz./220 g) dried), or drained and rinsed canned beans (from about two 15-oz. (425-g) cans)
- 2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) rounds
- 2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Green olives, halved, for garnish
- Pine nuts for garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish
Directions
In a small fry pan over medium heat, warm 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour into a liquid measuring cup. In a blender or food processor, combine the white beans, rosemary and lemon juice. Pulse until the beans are partially pureed, 5 to 10 seconds. With the motor running, pour in the garlic oil and process until a smooth puree forms, 5 to 10 seconds more. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may need to use 2 baking sheets). Drizzle lightly with remaining 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully rub the top of each slice with the whole garlic glove and garnish with the parsley.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Garnish with green olives, pine nuts, thyme and pomegranate seeds. Serve the dip with the crostini alongside. Serves 10.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen