WHITE BEAN AND BREAD CRUMB SKORDALIA

White Bean and Bread Crumb Skordalia image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 cup packed flat-leaf-parsley leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
20 1/4-inch-thick slices French or Italian bread, cut on the diagonal
1 cup dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups canned, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
5 1-inch-thick slices day-old French or Italian bread, crust removed, cut into chunks
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

If using dried beans, place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let beans sit for 1 hour. Drain and cover with cold water again, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 40 minutes, or until tender. Add salt and cook 10 minutes more. Drain and set aside until ready to use. (If using canned beans, add as directed in step 2. No additional salt is needed.)
To make skordalia, place bread chunks in a food processor or blender and process into coarse crumbs. Add beans, garlic, pepper, and lemon juice, and blend until almost smooth. With the motor running, pour in olive oil and 2/3 cup cold water. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add more water if mixture is too stiff.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. To makeherbed toast, mince together parsley,oregano, and salt. Spread 1/4 teaspoon ofherbs on each slice of bread and place ona baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, oruntil lightly toasted. Serve with skordalia.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 158 g, Cholesterol 27 g, Fat 3 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 6 g, Sodium 508 g