White Bean Spread
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
½ tsp mild chili powder
¼ cup water
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
Ciabatta bread
Whole garlic cloves
Mix all of the ingredients except basil in a food processer until the mixture becomes a slightly chunky puree. Transfer to a bowl and stir in basil. Season to taste.
This can also be served warm by sautéing the beans, onions and garlic in the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes before processing.
For the toast, I thinly sliced Ciabatta bread and baked at 300 for 7 to 10 minutes on each side. It is crunchy but not brown. Then I rubbed the warm bread with a fresh garlic clove. It has a hint of flavor that is no over-powering.