Herby White-Bean Bruschetta with Lemon and Olive Oil

Serves - 4 as a light lunch or starter

You’ll need

• 1 good sourdough or rustic loaf
• 2 x 400g tins white beans, such as cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated or crushed
• 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small handful basil or mint, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chives or spring onion greens, finely sliced, optional
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Toast the bread

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan, or heat a griddle pan if you prefer.

Slice the bread into thick pieces and lay them on a baking tray. Brush or drizzle both sides lightly with olive oil, then toast for 8–10 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp at the edges but still with a bit of chew in the middle.

You can also rub the warm toast very lightly with a cut clove of garlic if you want a little extra depth.

2. Make the bean topping

Put the white beans into a bowl and crush roughly with a fork or potato masher. Do not turn them into a purée — you want a mix of creamy crushed beans and some left whole for texture.

Add the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, basil or mint, and chives or spring onion greens if using. Season well with salt and black pepper, then mix everything together.

Taste it properly. It should feel fresh, lively, and well-seasoned rather than flat. Add a little more lemon juice or olive oil if needed.

3. Assemble

Spoon the bean mixture generously onto the toasted bread. Do not be shy about it.

Finish with a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a little more black pepper, and perhaps a touch more chopped herbs if you want it looking especially handsome.

To serve

Serve straight away while the toast still has some crunch. Very good on its own, and even better with a simple tomato salad, grilled vegetables, or a few olives alongside.

A couple of helpful notes

- This works best with genuinely good olive oil, because there is nowhere for it to hide.
- If you want a little more bite, a few finely chopped capers or a pinch of chilli flakes would sit very nicely in the bean mixture.
- Do not make the topping too far ahead if you want the herbs to stay bright and lively.