Crostini with Cannellini beans and marinated spring vegetables

Crostini are a simple and delicious compliment to any summer meal

Are you thinking that a bowl of  soup or a salad might not be enough to fill up your family for a spring meal?  If you take a couple  of extra minutes and throw together a simple crostini you take a humdrum meal and elevate it to an Italian feast.

Toasting the bread gives the crostini crunch and stability to hold all the varieties of topping you stack on top!

When I say throw together, that is exactly what I mean, because there are no rules when it comes to making crostini. OK, well, I take that back, crostini means “little toasts” in Italian, so technically you need to slice and toast the bread to make it “official” but beyond that ,the sky is the limit.
The ingredients are simple, let me give you some ideas, you must start with magnificent bread,  and I suggest you visit Gary from Shadeau Breads

Baked fresh today!

Farm Beach Bethel locally made artisan vinegars

and pick up a baguette as the base for your crostini.  Once you have the foundation of this method, the rest is up to you.  You can top with tapenade, hummus, procuitto, cheese, vegetables, anything you like, and more importantly, whatever is freshest at the market, or whatever you happen to have in your fridge or pantry.  Crostini are a great way to use left over grilled veggies  or meat from last nights dinner.You will find a great selection of veggies from Can-Du farms, Vintage Veggies, Maddux Farms. For this recipe we are using locally made vinegar from FARM BEACH BETHEL.  These vinegars are unlike any I have ever tasted, they are AMAZING!  Taste  a sample on Saturday and pick up your favorite to use in this recipe and salad dressings this summer. You won’t be dissapointed, I promise.

RECIPE

12 slices of baguette, brushed with olive oil and toasted in oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

1 can of cannellini beans drained, rinsed and mashed with a fork. Mix in 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove chopped garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, chop spring vegetables and toss with 1 tablespoon vinegar from FARM BEACH BETHEL and olive oil and  chives.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain off oil and vinegar.

Spread crostini with the cannellini beans and top with the marinated vegetables.

Stop by and see me on Saturday between 10 and 12 and taste a sample of the crostini featured in this recipe.  I always look forward to talking with everyone who comes to the market and hearing about how you plan to use what you bought that day. 

Eat locally!

Barbie Hahn