White Bean Arugula Pesto Panzanella

White Bean Arugula Pesto Panzanella

Ingredients

For the Arugula Pesto
• 8 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup almonds or pine nuts
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
 
For the Beans 
 
• 3 cups cooked white beans
• 1-2 lemons, juiced and zested
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
• 1-2 cups garlic croutons (recipe below)
For the Garlic Croutons
• 1 loaf french bread (a few days old)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

For the Garlic Croutons
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the bread into small cubes. Transfer cubed bread to a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the bread with the olive oil and butter and then sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Using your hands, gently toss the croutons and make sure they are coated with all the oils, butters and seasonings. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
For the Arugula Pesto
2. In a blender, combine 2 packed cups of the arugula with the nuts, cheese, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until well combined and then drizzle in the olive oil while running.
To assemble
3. Warm the beans so they are warm but not too hot. Toss the beans with the pesto and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Toss the remaining arugula with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Arrange the arugula on a large platter, spoon beans on top and sprinkle the shallots and croutons on top. Serve.