At our party last weekend, my wife and I served a trio of crostini to our hungry guests. They included our mushroom and goat cheese crostini, our artichoke and parmesan crostini, and these: slices of grilled bread topped with the classic Italian combination of white beans, rosemary, and extra virgin olive oil.

There’s really nothing to this one. You toss white beans, rosemary and olive oil into a food processor and hit “on.” We did that the day before the party, tossed the mixture into the fridge, and then spread it onto slices of grilled bread the next day.

One day we’ll try serving these topped with something else, like olives or our garlic-marinated roasted peppers. But try them the simple way first. It’s fantastic.

White Bean and Rosemary Crostini

The ingredients for the white bean mixture.

1 baguette
1 14-ounce can of cannellini beans
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary
A pinch of hot chili flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Rinse and drain the beans and place them in a food processor. Add the rosemary, the chili flakes (if using) and the olive oil with some salt and pepper and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it is too thick, add more olive oil and pulse to combine.

2. Arrange the bread slices on a sheet pan or platter and brush one side with olive oil. Place the bread slices on the grill or under the broiler. Turn once, brushing the other side with the oil, so the bread gets nicely crisped up but not burnt, about a minute per side. Remove the bread and set aside.

3. Spread a thick layer of the white bean mixture onto the grilled bread slices. If desired, top with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Total time: 20 minutes.
Makes about 8-10 crostini.