This very quick and easy recipe yields a generous amount of an interesting topping for hearty open-faced sandwiches for a satisfying lunch, or elegant crostini for appetizers or party food, especially good served with a fruity red wine.
Pop leftover topping into a covered container in the refrigerator, where you’ll be glad to find it in a couple of days when you’re looking for a midnight snack or something extra for a meal. It keeps well for about a week.
Yields about 3 cups
Time: 15 minutes
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups pitted black olives (a combination of mild Greek olives and oil-cured Kalamatas is nice)
1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle on the bread
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic chili paste or sauce*
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½-inch-thick slices of bread
Chopped fresh basil or mint (optional)
*Any garlicky chili paste or sauce is fine. We like Vietnamese-style chili garlic sauce from Huy Fong Foods.
Put the cannellini beans into a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the olives until chopped but not puréed, 3 or 4 seconds, and add them to the cannellini beans in the bowl. In the bowl of the food processor (no need to rinse it), put the butter beans, oil, vinegar, and chili paste and purée until smooth. Stir into the cannellini beans and olives in the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly toast or grill slices of bread and drizzle or brush the tops with olive oil. Spread the bean and olive topping on each slice, and sprinkle with the basil or mint if you like.
Bread and this spread is good by itself, or top the sandwiches with slices of fresh mozzarella and/or tomato slices. Strips of roasted red peppers are also nice.
This sandwich goes well with Watermelon Gazpacho with Feta-Yogurt Crema. Zucchini Slaw with Toasted Buckwheat and Feta works as a side dish when this sandwich is the main course. For appetizers, spread the topping on toasted baguette rounds, nice before Kale and Walnut Risotto or Pasta Carbonara with Zucchini.