1 medium onion, cut in half

3 garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed (more to taste)

1 bay leaf

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, rosemary, or parsley

4 to 8 thick slices country bread

1. Drain the beans and transfer to a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion, two of the garlic cloves, the bay leaf and a quart water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour, until the beans are thoroughly tender. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl, then discard the onion and bay leaf.

2. In a mortar and pestle, puree the remaining garlic clove with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

3. Puree the white beans with the mashed garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. With the machine running, add 2 tablespoons of the bean broth, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt to taste and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt. Add more of the bean broth for a creamier consistency; the mixture should be like moist hummus.

4. Lightly toast the bread and rub with the remaining cut garlic. Brush with the remaining olive oil. Top with the white beans, and sprinkle with the herbs.

Yield: Serves four

Advance preparation: The white bean puree will keep for about five days in the refrigerator. It will become thicker with time. Thin out as desired with milk.

Variation: You may use canned white beans (but they won’t taste as good). Drain the beans and rinse thoroughly. Substitute milk for the bean broth, and use as much as you need to achieve a moist consistency.

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Toppings for bruschetta, like those for pasta and pizza, can be conjured from almost anything — pantry staples to vegetables from the farmers’ market. But you should be picky about the kind of bread you use. Seek out whole-grain breads, which retain fiber and nutrients from the germ and bran. You’ll also find that whole-grain breads have a nuttier, more satisfying flavor than white bread.

Bruschetta With Scrambled Eggs and Asparagus

To get really creamy scrambled eggs, cook them slowly over low heat. The asparagus contributes vitamins K, A and C, as well as folate. In all this is a comforting, high-protein mix.

1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends broken off and discarded

1 tablespoon butter

6 eggs

1 tablespoon low-fat milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon snipped chives

4 to 8 thick slices country bread

1 garlic clove, cut in half

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1. Steam the asparagus above one inch of boiling water for five to eight minutes (depending on how thick the stalks are) until tender. Remove from the heat, rinse briefly with cold water, drain and slice 1/2 inch thick.

2. Toast the bread, rub with the cut clove of garlic, and brush with olive oil. Set aside on plates or on a platter.

3. Beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Heat a medium nonstick frying pan over low heat, and add the butter. When it has melted and is just beginning to bubble, add the eggs. Cook slowly, stirring with a heat-proof rubber spatula, until the eggs are just set but still creamy. Stir in the asparagus and chives, and remove from the heat. Spoon onto the bruschetta and serve.

Yield: Serves four

Advance preparation: Steamed asparagus will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN