Contadina Mediterranean White Bean Bruschetta Food

MEDITERRANEAN BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil. Grill the bread until golden on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the bread, and squeeze the lemon juice over the bread slices. Sprinkle the bread slices with dried oregano, salt, and pepper.;
• In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, tomatoes, 3 tablespoons mint, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
• To serve, either spoon the cheese topping over the bread and sprinkle more chopped mint over the bruschetta for garnish, or place the cheese topping in a bowl and serve with the grilled bread alongside.

MEDITERRANEAN BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• Drizzle the bread with the olive oil and place onto preheated grill. Grill until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, tomatoes, olives, basil, and salt and pepper.
• Squeeze lemon over the bread. Sprinkle bread with oregano and salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place ricotta mixture on top of the grilled bread, garnish with basil leaves and serve.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL

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.

WHITE BEAN BRUSCHETTA

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.

CONTADINA® INSALATA MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Combine pasta and remaining salad ingredients, except Parmesan cheese, in a large serving bowl.
• Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over salad and mix well. Refrigerate at least 10 minutes for flavors to blend before serving. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

WHITE BEAN BRUSCHETTA

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.

CONTADINA® QUICK BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Brown beef, bacon, onion, celery and carrots in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.
• Add broth; simmer until evaporated, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan.
• Stir in tomatoes and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Serve over pasta.

BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS, TOMATOES AND OLIVES

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.

CONTADINA® "CREAMY" TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots and red pepper flakes until softened, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in remaining ingredients, except basil. Puree in saucepan with a hand-held immersion blender or puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and heat through.
• Top with fresh basil before serving, if desired.