Crostini and Black-Eyed Pea Purée

Cook time: 12 minutes | Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Bay leaf
• 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• Salt
• Pepper
• Baguette, sliced on bias

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the thyme, chili flakes, garlic, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 2 minutes until golden brown. Add black-eyed peas and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors have melded. Discard bay leaf and sprigs of thyme, and transfer the pea mixture to a blender. Purée until smooth. (Sprinkle in a little water if mixture is too dry.) Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl.

Drizzle olive oil over slices of bread and toast in oven until golden brown.