white bean hummus crostini

I had to pause when writing the title of this post. It was originally going to be "white bean hummus bruschetta". But I realized as I was typing it that maybe really it was crostini. Not knowing exactly what makes up one versus the other, I googled it.

I learned that "crostini" means "little toasts" in Italian. Crostini is typically made from white bread that is sliced thin and toasted with a bit of olive oil and salt. Bruschetta, on the other hand, (also Italian, and originates from the Roman "bruscare," which means to "roast over coals") is grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. This new knowledge put my appetizer cleanly in the crostini family.

The following hummus recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. It features an entire chapter on hummus. I like the black bean & orange hummus so much that I tend not to stray from it. But for our second appetizer on Saturday night, I was searching for something hummus-y and lemony; this particular hummus fit the bill. Here's how it goes:

White Bean Hummus

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans*

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice**

2 Tbsp. tahini

1 medium clove garlic, sliced

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. sea salt

5 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces

*I used canned beans, rinsing well to remove excess salt

**1 Tbsp. lemon juice wasn't lemony enough for me - I used about 2 1/2 Tbsp.

Add all ingredients except thyme and basil to a food processor. Puree until smooth, gradually adding water as desired to thin dip (I used about 2 Tbsp.). Add thyme and basil and puree briefly to incorporate ingredients.

Perfect Crostini

1 sour baguette, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

Add oil and salt to a large bowl. Add the sliced baguette rounds to the bowl and toss well. Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until slightly golden.

Top each cooled crostini with a dollop of hummus. Enjoy!