Tired of the same old appetizers? These bite-sized toasts come together easily, with a pureed white bean and herb spread and freshly roasted red peppers. Add some arugula for an extra pop of flavor. Your guests will be asking for this recipe. And they’ll be pleasantly surprised that each bite is low in fat and packs more than four grams of protein.
Yields 48
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
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Ingredients
2 seven-grain baguettes
4 red bell peppers
3 cloves garlic
30 oz. or 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed
1 ½ teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
1 cup arugula
Olive oil (use the best you have)
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Preparation
For the toasts:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Slice baguettes into quarter-inch rounds.
- Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, making sure both sides of the bread are oiled. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once, until toasted.
For the red peppers:
- Preheat oven to 500 ° F.
- Place washed bell peppers in glass casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes, turning peppers over every 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let cool for 30 minutes, then remove stems.
- Halve the peppers, scooping out seeds. Remove the skins.
- Place in jar or sealable container, along with juices in pan. Add olive oil and cover.
For the white bean purée:
- Peel garlic and slice in half. Place in one quart of water and bring to a boil.
- Add cannellini beans and return to a boil.
- Drain beans and garlic through colander, reserving 1 cup of water.
- Once cooled, place beans and garlic into food processor. Add herbs, oil, salt and ground pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, adding reserved water if necessary.
- On a toast, spoon a teaspoon of white bean spread. Add arugula and garnish with sliced roasted red pepper.
For more recipes from Emily, visit www.emsbytes.com.