The great thing about this dish is that you can make it WAY ahead of time, and it doesn’t need constant chilling. This is a really terrific dish to take along on a picnic. In addition, any leftovers can be combined with veggie broth and rice or spelt to make a very hearty side dish.
To make it:
Crostini
- 1 Baguette (white or multi-grain), sliced into 1/2″ thick rounds
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on a sheet pan (or pizza pan, with holes in it), and brush each side with olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden-brown and crunchy.
Topping
- 3 large tomatoes, cut into smallish chunks
- 1 15-oz. can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- about 15 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped coursely
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped finely
- 1 tbsp capers, along with 1 tsp of the vinegar in the caper jar
- fresh black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a Tupperware bowl, cover it and give it a good shake. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors meld together. When it’s time to serve, spoon about a tablespoon of the salad onto each crostini.