I can’t think of a more delicious way to eat ones dinner or ones veggies than on toasted rustic bread.
And depending on how thick the bread is, one is a bruschetta and the thinner one is a crostini.
Inspired by Toscana cooking at it’s best – cannellini beans, some jumbo prawns, fresh herbs, a hint of mascarpone and finished with some fresh greens like spinach or arugula, I put this together one busy weeknight and think it’s such a wonderful way to eat healthful and delicious.
Perhaps this is why I serve it as a appetizer for when company is over or just throw it together for a curled up on the couch kind of meal
Who says you need anything else with? And let me tell, you the kids aren’t c omplaining either.
If I were you, I'd use this recipe as a guide and once you can get the hang of it, you'll be whipping up all kinds of combinations, putting it on toasted bread and calling it dinner,
And what’s wrong with that?!
Gather the ingredients,
1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if required, 1/2 tbs chopped garlic, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes & ¼ tsp salt
1 qty 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if required, small red onion (to yield 1/4 cup chopped red onions ), 1 sprig fresh rosemary (to yield ½ tbs chopped), ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, 3 leaves fresh basil, 1 tbs mascarpone cheese, 1 cup Arugula leaves or a mix of Spinach & Arugula leaves or baby spinach leaves, 1/4 tsp salt & ½ tsp ground black pepper
To serve – crusty Italian bread, sliced 1/4" thick
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F
Prawns: Shell, peel and devein the prawns. Set aside
Onion: Peel, cut away top and bottom. Discard ends and finely chop.
Rosemary: Pull the leaves away from the stalk and finely chop.
Basil: At the very end roll and cut into slivers.
Bread: Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking tray or a jelly roll pan. Set a timer to toast for about 4-6 minutes until a golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Add 1 tbs of the olive oil to a pan and heat until very hot on medium-high heat.
Add ½ tbs garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the prawns and red chilly flakes and sauté for a few minutes until the prawns turn pink. Immediately remove from the heat and cut into ½” pieces once cool.
Reduce to the heat to medium. To the same pan heat the remaining olive oil. Add the remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the red onions, rosemary & red pepper flakes and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Add the cannellini beans and sauté for a minute or so. Add the salt, pepper, mascarpone cheese and cut up prawns and sauté to warm through for a few minutes. Add the arugula or spinach leaves and stir until the leaves wilt.
Taste and adjust seasonings Remove from heat and add the basil slivers.
Serve immediately over toasted bread.
Recipe for
Crostini with Jumbo Prawns, Rosemary & Cannellini Beans
Shopping list:
1/2 pound jumbo shrimp
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if required
1/2 tbs chopped garlic
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt
~
1 qty 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if required
1 small red onion (to yield 1/4 cup chopped red onions )
1 sprig fresh rosemary (to yield ½ tbs chopped)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
3 leaves fresh basil
1 tbs mascarpone cheese
1 cup Arugula leaves or a mix of Spinach & Arugula leaves or baby spinach leaves
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
To serve – crusty bread, sliced
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F
Prawns: Shell, peel and devein the prawns. Set aside
Onion: Peel, cut away top and bottom. Discard ends and finely chop.
Rosemary: Pull the leaves away from the stalk and finely chop.
Basil: At the very end roll and cut into slivers.
Method:
Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking tray or a jelly roll pan. Set a timer to toast for about 4-6 minutes until a golden brown. Remove from the oven.
Add 1 tbs of the olive oil to a pan and heat until very hot on medium-high heat.
Add ½ tbs garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the prawns and red chilly flakes and sauté for a few minutes until the prawns turn pink. Immediately remove from the heat and cut into ½” pieces once cool.
Reduce to the heat to medium. To the same pan heat the remaining olive oil. Add the remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the red onions, rosemary & red pepper flakes and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Add the cannellini beans and sauté for a minute or so. Add the salt, pepper, mascarpone cheese and cut up prawns and sauté to warm through for a few minutes. Add the arugula or spinach leaves. Stir to until leaves wilt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and add the basil slivers.
Serve immediately over toasted bread.
Enjoy!
