Crostini with white bean purée

Totally stolen from Delicious after this divine dish was served at a friend’s one night.

Serves 8
Cook time: 25 minutes to make it, plus cooling time

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 410g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 75 ml fresh chicken stock, hot
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• Good squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 baguette or similar shaped bread, cut into 32 slices about 1 cm thick
• For the black olive relish:
• 50 g can anchovies in olive oil, drained and chopped
• Small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
• 4 tbsp EVOO
• 50g pitted black olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic, cannellini beans, chicken stock and some seasoning and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the beans are tender. Leave to cool.
2. Make the black olive relish by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Process the beans and their liquid in a blender or food processor with the EVOO and lemon juice. Season to taste. Can be served warm or at room temperature. The bean mixture will thicken as it cools so don’t worry if it seems watery at first.
4. To make the crostini, put a griddle pan over a high heat until very hot. Toast the bread slices until very lightly charred on both sides.
5. To serve, spread some white bean purée on top of each warm crostini and spoon over a little olive relish.