Bruschetta With White Beans Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs Recipes

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.

Steps:

• For the topping, combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl, with salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix very well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the tastes to blend together.
• For the bruschetta, toast or broil the bread slices so that both sides are golden brown.
• Cut the garlic in half and rub generously over one side of each slice.
• Brush the olive oil over each side as well.
• To serve, top the bruschetta with the bean and herb mixture while the bread is still hot, if possible.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes, olives, 4 tablespoons oil, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Place bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil., Broil 3-4 in. from the heat until golden, about 1 minute. Spread with cheese; top with bean mixture. Serve immediately.

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.

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan or broiler.
• In a bowl, gently combine the beans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper, basil and garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• It's nice if the mixture can sit for a half an hour or so.
• For the bread: I usually warm a clove or two of chopped garlic in some olive oil to infuse the flavor.
• This can be done on the stovetop over VERY low heat, or in the microwave heated for about 30 seconds.
• Add a couple shakes of salt and pepper, and brush garlic oil evenly over the bread slices.
• 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.
• Top the bread slices with the bean mixture and drizzle any extra balsamic/oil over the top.
• This bruschetta is nice served with a tossed green salad.

Steps:

• Mix first 7 ingredients in bowl.
• Season to taste.
• Cut toasted bread in half.
• Spoon tomato mixture on top of bread and serve.

Steps:

• Make the toasts. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush a large cookie sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lay the bread on the sheet. Brush the tops of each slice with the remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Rub each piece on both sides with cut sides of 2 or 3 cloves garlic. Set aside.
• Make the cherry tomato and white bean salad. Set a small saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the 6 cloves minced garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute - just until the garlic is soft and beginning to turn golden (but not dark brown - that's burned!) Transfer the garlic and oil to a small bowl to cool.
• Add the cherry tomatoes, beans, balsamic vinegar, basil leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Pour in the sauteed garlic, oil and all. Mix well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. I like lots of extra pepper!
• Serve piled on toasts.
• The tomato salad keeps well refrigerated (in an airtight container) for up to 24 hours. It can keep for longer, but the tomatoes start to get a little mushy, which personally I don't love. The toasts keep well in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 24 hours (or can be frozen for several weeks).

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes and 1/2 cup fresh basil in a colander, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat; let drain 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• In a large bowl combine the drained tomato/basil mixture with the minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, remaining 1/4 fresh basil, oregano and thyme.
• Let stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
• During this time brush French bread slices lightly with the remaining olive oil.
• Toast "lightly" in the oven (just a few minutes).
• Pull out and place a small amount of tomato mixture on top of the lightly toasted French bread slices.
• Top each piece with a small amount of Mozzarella.
• Toast in the oven until cheese has melted and its golden brown.
• Serve and enjoy.

Steps:

• In a large grill pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• When oil is hot, press slices of bread or foccacia firmly against the grill. Turn the flame on high until the bread has become slightly and pleasantly streaked with char lines.
• Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat, and add crushed garlic.
• Tilt the pan upwards so that the oil collects near the end and 'deep-fries' the garlic until golden brown, on medium to high heat. (this ensures a more wholesome garlic infusion in the oil as you're using a grill pan).
• Set golden brown garlic aside.
• In a small bowl, mix all the herbs together.
• Put in tomato slices in the grill pan and sprinkle the mixed herbs liberally and all over the tomatoes.
• Season with salt and pepper. If you have a cover for the grill pan, do so and let grill on a soft flame for 5 minutes or so. If not, leave to grill for about 7 minutes.
• When the tomatoes are soft, but still retaining their shape - or the time has elapsed, add the grated mozzarella cheese.
• Leave for another 5 - 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and is bubbling.
• Quickly (before the melted cheese hardens), scoop the cheese covered tomatoes out, and place side by side, slightly overlapped, on the grilled bread. (I find using a fork and a spoon helps to scoop the tomatoes out without breaking them.).
• Season with more salt and pepper, and add chopped fresh coriander herb on the bruchetta.
• Serve immediately.