Sunday, January 2, 2011

Artichoke and Bean Bruschetta

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family.  After celebrating Christmas here in Kentucky, we loaded up the car and headed up to visit family and friends in Ohio.  It was a wonderful visit, but the past few weeks have felt like a whirlwind and I am beyond anxious for everything to settle down and return to normal.
It's amazing how much you can miss your kitchen when you are away.  In celebration of getting back into the kitchen, I made Giada's Artichoke and Bean Bruschetta.
Artichoke and Bean Bruschetta
Adapted from Giada at Home
Makes 4 - 6 servings

Vegetable oil cooking spray
4 very thin slices prosciutto (I used bacon)
12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices rustic country bread
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 (12-ounce) pkg frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (I used jarred)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375F.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Lay the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 2 minutes, until crispy.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

On another baking sheet, arrange the bread slices in a single layer.  Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the oil.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.

In a food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, beans, cheese, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Pulse until the mixture is chunky.  With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and mix until combined but still slightly chunky.
Spoon the artichoke mixture onto the crostini.  Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle on top.  Drizzle with oil and serve.

Notes/Results: We enjoyed the smooth creaminess of the artichoke and bean mixture, but felt the added lemon zest and lemon juice were a little too overpowering.  Next time around, I would probably omit both the lemon zest and lemon juice and add in a clove or two of garlic.  Also, I didn't have any prosciutto on hand, so I subbed bacon. I think I actually prefer the bacon for this recipe because it lends a heartiness and smokiness that you just don't get with prosciutto. I would make this again with the changes mentioned.

I'm really looking forward to catching up on all your blogs and seeing what you've been up to.  May the new year bring us lots of new and tasty recipes!

Now cooking the recipes of Giada De Laurentiis
At Brenda's Canadian Kitchen

24 comments:

  1. Yum! We must be craving the same things! I am making pizza with artichokes and cannellini bean soup right niw. THis looks fabulous!

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  2. I looks really delicious. I love lemon with artichokes normally, so I wonder if reducing the amount of the lemon and adding the garlic would work for me? Hmm...

    Welcome back! ;-)

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  3. mmmm...this sounds good! I love artichokes and I love bacon and I love beans...so yum! Glad you had a nice holiday :D

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  4. I prefer bacon to prosciutto...so I like your substitution...Happy New Years!

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  5. Great choice! Bruschetta is fav around here. Nice variations for it depending on our mood. My pantry always has cannellini beans...never know if you need them for soup, bruschetta....so many uses.

    Thanks for your nice comments on my blog :-) It has been hard for me asking for help in the kitchen or with any of the ligting. Doug has been great about it but still....I like to do my own thing.

    Glad to hear you had such a nice holiday, Kim!

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  6. sounds like a wonderful holiday! i know what you mean about being ready to get back to normal. my daughter goes back to school tomorrow and i. am. ready. :)

    this looks awesome! so creamy, i bet it could practically stand as a meal itself. i'm with you on the bacon too, i like proscuitto, but i like bacon more!

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  7. I miss my kitchen from the second I leave until the moment I get back. So I totally understand.

    But Im so glad to hear you had such a nice holiday!

    This bruschetta sounds delicious. All of the flavors that I love!

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  8. I never met a bruschetta I didn't like and I already know I like this - with bacon or prosciutto. In the summer I chow down on summer tomatoes and then in the winter - it's time to get creative. I love the artichokes and beans and will take your advice on the lemon. Happy New Year, Kim! I hope the year brings all good things to you and yours.

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  9. Perfect appetizer. Happy New year!

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  10. WElcome back and happy new year to you! I'm intrigued by the beans and bacon combination on this and love the whole twist on traditional bruschetta.

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  11. Hey,

    Beautiful dish dear...Happy new year to you!!:)

    Dr.Sameena@

    http://www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com/

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  12. Perfect for getting back to normal (as in healthier) eating!!!

    Have a wonderful 2011.

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  13. Your changes are exactly what I would have done - bacon for the prosciutto and definitely garlic!! I really like the idea of this, like a white bean dip on bread. Mmmmm.... Giada does it again! Thank you so much for sharing with Cookbook Sundays Kim and have a wonderful week!

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  14. What a great little nibble, perfect for when guests come over.
    *kisses* HH

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  15. Delicious! I agree, add garlic. That goes for everything. ;-)
    Welcome home!

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  16. MMMMmmmmm, Kim, bruschetta! And what a combo using artichokes! I've been missing in action due to hospitalization in emergency room of my dad. I apologize for not visiting you more. I hope to catch up. Now that things are getting a bit back to normal, i was finally able to simply clean my stove after Christmas. New Year's Eve was in the emergency room. My husband is from Athens, Ohio and a die hard Buckeye fan. Hope your time with friends was fun! Love, Roz

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  17. Oh Kim, I'm so glad you made this - I have been wanting to make this one for ages, but since we can't get frozen artichoke hearts here I was wondering what it would be like with bottled ones. Good to get your advice about the lemon & garlic - I generally like lemon with artichoke, but on your recommendation I would probably cut it back quite a bit and I like the idea of adding garlic.
    Sue xo

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  18. Glad you're back! I love the sound of this - I was even thinking it might be good tossed with pasta. Giada uses lemon in EVERYTHING! Sometimes it makes me cringe a little. Thanks for stopping by me new site! I wish you all the best for 2011!

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  19. Bet the bacon is just perfect. The smokiness and the crunch of it paired with the creamy bean/artichoke mixture...
    well, this sounds and looks really good!

    I'm glad to be back in my own kitchen too. Cooking in someone else's kitchen is not for me!

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  20. I'd be all over this like white on rice! I was thinking the bacon sounded way better, too. Hope your New Year is starting out great :)

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  21. I've had my eye on this recipe ~ It looks so creamy and sounds delish, I'm with you on the bacon, gotta have it ~ Glad you are back in the kitchen!

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  22. Great combo, Kim. I think Giada gets carried away with lemons most of the time. I know they add a touch of freshness to dishes, but she goes to extremes!

    Happy New Year!

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  23. What a perfect holiday. I'm so glad to hear that you had a great holiday. I hope the new year brings all measure of good things your way. Blessings...Mary

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  24. Seriously that is about the heartiest bruschetta I've seen. I love the way the artichoke mixture stands proud on it. Well, proud until I bite into it's little self!

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