Hummus on Crostini Topped with Tabouli Salad

This perfectly light and flavorful appetizer features tabouli with chewy bulgur that contrasts beautifully with fresh, creamy hummus, all atop the delicate crunch of thin crostini. This recipe serves about 12 as an appetizer, but even a small group will find it easy to polish off these tasty toasts!

Your hummus will have a vibrantly fresh flavor and texture if you begin with dried garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) and cook them yourself — but if time is short, high-quality canned garbanzos will work, too.

Place the water, salt and bulgur in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let sit, still covered, until the grains are al dente. Pour off any excess water and cool to room temperature in a large bowl. Once cooled, toss the bulgur together with (in order) the parlsey, basil, mint, green onion, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend before serving.

To make the hummus, place the garbanzo beans, garlic, tahini, cumin and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and process for 1 minute. Slowly add the oils, salt and pepper. If the mixture is thicker than you like, thin it to the desired consistency by adding water, a little at a time. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the baguettes into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick (about 30 pieces per loaf, depending on the size of the baguette). Brush both sides lightly with garlic oil or olive oil and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, turning once, until the crostini are light golden brown.

To assemble the appetizers, spread approximately 1 teaspoon hummus on each toast and top it with 1 teaspoon tabouli. Eat warm or at room temperature.