White Bean Crostini with Roasted Fennel and Garlic
Two bulbs of fennel and a whole head of garlic roasted until sweet, then pulsed with cannellini beans, lemon and rosemary into a deliberately chunky spread. Piled onto slow-toasted baguette and finished with a fennel frond. The spread keeps three days, so only the assembly happens on the day.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Fennel and Garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the pan and the garlic parcel
- 1 head garlic top 1/2-inch cut off to expose the cloves
- 2 medium fennel bulbs quartered, core trimmed, fronds reserved
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for roasting
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper for roasting
For the White Bean Spread
- 15 ounces canned cannellini beans one can, drained and rinsed well
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary minced fine
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice from half a lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the spread
For the Crostini
- 1 baguette cut on a steep angle into about 30 slices
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for brushing the bread
- 2 tablespoons fennel fronds reserved, for garnish
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Food Processor
- Aluminum foil
- Knife
- Oven
Instructions
Roast the Fennel and Garlic
- Heat the oven to 400F. Cut the top off the head of garlic, sit it on a square of foil, drizzle a tablespoon of the olive oil over the cut cloves, season, and seal the foil into a parcel.
- Spread the fennel quarters over the same sheet pan in a single layer with room around them, drizzle with the remaining oil and season with the salt and pepper. Roast 40 to 45 minutes, turning the fennel once or twice, until it is tender and genuinely browned at the edges. Cool until you can handle it.
Make the Spread
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a food processor. Add the fennel, the drained beans, rosemary, lemon juice, salt, pepper and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Pulse to a coarse spread, scraping the bowl once. Stop while there are still recognizable pieces of bean and shreds of fennel. Taste and correct the salt and lemon, remembering that it will be eaten cold and needs to be assertive.
Toast the Crostini
- Drop the oven to 350F. Cut the baguette on a steep angle into slices between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch thick and lay them on a baking sheet.
- Brush both sides with olive oil, season lightly, and bake 12 to 15 minutes until light gold and dry all the way through. Cool on a rack rather than on the pan.
Assemble and Serve
- Within fifteen minutes of serving, pile about a tablespoon of spread onto each toast and finish with a reserved fennel frond and a grind of pepper. Serve the leftover spread in a bowl alongside.
Notes
Make-ahead: the spread keeps 3 days refrigerated under a film of olive oil and is better on the second day. Plain toasts keep 2 days in a tin at room temperature, never in plastic. Assemble within fifteen minutes of serving, because the bread softens fast.
Roast the fennel until it is genuinely browned at the edges. Pale, limp fennel still holds its water and makes a watery spread.
Pulse, do not puree. Recognizable pieces of bean are what let the spread sit on the toast instead of sliding off.
The spread makes more than 24 crostini need. Loosen the rest with olive oil and warm water and serve it as a dip.
Substitutions: great northern or butter beans for the cannellini. Thyme for the rosemary. A quarter cup of grated parmesan makes it richer but no longer vegan.
Freezing: 2 months. Beat in fresh oil and lemon after it thaws.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1crostini | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg