Marinated White Bean Toasts

On Saturday I hosted a Lia Shophia jewelry party. I of course had to have a few good snacks for everyone to enjoy. This one was a huge hit with my friends and is courtesy of my new Sara Moulton cookbook.

What you'll need:
1 small red onion (I suggest using less onion, unless you really like onion)
1 12-inch baguette
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 (15-ounce) can small white beans
1 Tbsp, plus 1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

How to make it:
Place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely chop the onion (about 1/2 cup) and transfer it to a small bowl; add ice and water to cover and set it aside for 10 minutes.

Trim off and discard the ends of the baguette; cut the remaining baguette diagonally to make 24 slices. Brush both sides of the slices with 2 Tbsps of olive oil (you may need more) and arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast them for 8-10 minutes, turning once until they are golden. Remove the toasts from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Split the garlic lengthwise. Rub the toast slices with the cut sides of the garlic.

Rinse and thoroughly drain the beans. Chop the oregano (about 2 tsps). Combine the beans, the remaining 2 Tbsps olive oil, the lemon juice, and oregano in a medium bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork, leaving some larger pieces.

Drain the onion, pat it dry, and stir it into the bean mixture along with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the bean mixture among the toast slices and spread the mixture to the edges. (I didn't do this last part. I just put the bean mixture into a bowl with the toasts surrounding it and let my guests top the toast on their own.)