Cannellini Bean Tomato Crostini Food

CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP WITH KALE AND GARLIC-OLIVE OIL CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot. Add garlic and oregano and cook no more than a minute. Add tomato paste and vinegar, and cook another minute. Add beans and stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add kale and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour. Season, to taste, again with salt and pepper before serving.
• Slice baguette on a heavy angle to create long slices. Toast in a toaster or in the conventional oven. Rub once or twice with half a garlic clove. Season a shallow plate of extra-virgin olive oil with salt and dip each side of bread into the oil. Serve as accompaniment to the soup.

SMASHED CANNELLINI BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a shallow saucepan over a low-medium heat and scatter in the sage leaves, if using. Fry for 2 mins until crisp, lift onto a plate using a slotted spoon. Tip the onion into the pan and cook for 3 mins until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Sprinkle in the pepper and toast for 1 min, then stir in the beans. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice.
• Season the mixture with salt, then tip into a food processor or mini chopper with the remaining oil. Blitz everything together to your desired consistency - it can be a smooth or a rough paste. Will keep covered in the fridge for two days. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Serve the dip as is with crostini or breadsticks, or drizzle with a little extra olive oil and top with the crispy sage leaves, if using.