This is rustic and simple, and deeply satisfying. Pureed beans can get a bit crusty when exposed to air, so if you make these ahead of time, drizzle a bit of a nice fruity olive oil over each crostini to keep it fresh and make it glisten. If you want a lighter version, you can certainly serve this on cucumber rounds, but I love the way the smoky flavor of the eggplant and the grilled bread work together.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

　　1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

　　1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

　　1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

　　1 garlic clove

　　

Step 1

Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

　　

Step 2

Put the eggplant on a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

　　

Step 3

While the eggplant is roasting, preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil on both sides and arrange in the pan. Cook until both sides are pale golden and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Set aside to cool.

　　

Step 4

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant (flesh and skin), beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the 1/3 cup olive oil and process until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

　　

Step 5

Spoon the spread into a small bowl and serve with the bread slices. Alternatively, spoon the spread over the bread and arrange on a serving platter.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.