BRUSCHETTA WITH WHITE BEANS AND TOMATO

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread 2 large garlic cloves, peeled (divided use)

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and chopped

2 cups cooked cannellini beans or other white beans, drained

Salt

4 1-inch slices Tuscan bread or country-style bread

5 fat-leaf parsley sprigs, leaves only, chopped

Directions

Warm a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, 1 garlic clove, the pepper flakes, and onion; sauté until the onion has softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato; continue cooking until it begins to give up its juice and lose its bright red color, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beans into the onion-and-tomato mixture while mashing against the side of the pan. Season to taste with salt; continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is heated through and about half the beans remain whole. Remove from heat and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, toast the bread slices until lightly brown on the edges. Place the toast on a serving plate and rub with the remaining garlic clove to lightly flavor. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the toast slices, spoon some of the bean-and-tomato mixture onto each piece of toast, and sprinkle parsley over the beans.