Recipe: White Bean, Rosemary and Pancetta Bruschetta

WHITE BEAN, ROSEMARY AND PANCETTA BRUSCHETTA
Source: The Mixer Bible: Over 300 Recipes for Your Stand Mixer by Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder
Makes 30 bruschetta

3 ounces pancetta, chopped, 90 g
2 cans (each 14 to 19 oz/ 398 to 540 mL) cannellini beans or white kidney beans, drained, 2
1⁄4 cup olive oil, 50 mL
1 1⁄2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, 22 mL
2 teaspoons minced garlic, 10 mL
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut on the diagonal into 3⁄8-inch (0.75 cm) thick slices, 1
Extra-virgin olive oil
Baking sheet

Preheat broiler.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and saut until crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel.

Place cooked pancetta, beans, olive oil, rosemary and garlic in the mixer bowl. Attach the flat beater and mixer bowl to the mixer. Set to Speed 2 and mix until beans begin to break up. Increase to Speed 4 and mix until beans are crushed and slightly creamy, about 2 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Brush both sides of baguette slices with extra-virgin olive oil and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Place under broiler and lightly brown on one side.

Spread white bean mixture on the toasted side of the baguette slices. Drizzle a little more extra-virgin olive oil on top of each slice. Serve immediately.

Tip:
Pancetta is a salt-cured pork product from Italy. It's made out of the same cut of meat as bacon, but it isn't smoked. If you have trouble finding pancetta in your grocery store, you can substitute bacon, or leave it out altogether.