Burk Cooks: appetizers

Smooth, creamy, garlicky and delicious. Try not to feel hurt when your friends ask, accusingly: “you made this?” The recipe originates at Orangette; I’ve tweaked it a bit and added the smoked paprika topping, which really brings out the flavors. Serve with pita or crostini or naan or carrot sticks or anything else you can imagine.

1 15 oz can Canellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup water
Extra virgin olive oil
Smoked paprika

Combine first six ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulsing until the beans are a smooth paste. Add the water a bit at a time until the consistency is as you like it. To serve, drizzle a little olive oil over the surface and sprinkle with smoked paprika.

If you’re making hummus in advance, store it in the fridge, but take it out a bit before serving - it’s best at room temperature.

Store leftovers (assuming you have any) in a covered dish in the fridge. Hummus stays fresh for about a week.

Italian for “little toasts,” crostini are a simple yet decadent staple food. They're good for scooping up hummus or a soft cheese dip (think ricotta and pesto); smearing with roasted garlic; topping with prosciutto, arugula and parmesan; or just for crunching alone, like fat, succulent chips.

1 baguette
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp coarsley ground black pepper
rosemary salt or kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Press or mince the garlic and combine with the olive oil and black pepper. Slice the baguette into rounds* about 1/4” thick and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until they are just beginning to get brown. Paint the olive oil mixture on the rounds with a pastry brush, sprinkle with rosemary salt and return them to the oven for 2 minutes.

Cool and store in a jar or zip-top bag. Crostini stay fresh for about a week, but they rarely last that long in our house.

*When I want to be fancy, I slice the bread on the bias, or diagonally. It may look elegant, but they’re harder to dip and much more than a mouthful.