Pintxos Variados

Step 1

Slice the day-old baguette on a slight diagonal into 0.5-inch-thick slices — cutting at an angle gives you more surface area for toppings. You should get about 16–18 slices.

Step 2

Arrange the baguette slices on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

Step 3

Drizzle 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil evenly over both sides of each bread slice. Toast the slices in a 400°F oven for 6–8 minutes, until they're golden and crisp at the edges but still slightly yielding in the center. The bread should smell toasty and fragrant — watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.

Step 4

While the bread toasts, prepare your toppings: tear the roasted red pepper into bite-sized pieces; slice the manchego cheese into thin, 1-inch-wide pieces; tear the jamón serrano into irregular, rustic pieces; slice the morcilla into 0.25-inch-thick rounds; and have all other ingredients measured and ready.

Step 5

Let the toasted bread cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet so it sets slightly, then transfer to a serving board or platter.

Step 6

Cut the 1 raw garlic clove in half and gently rub the cut side over the warm bread slices — you want just a whisper of garlic flavor, not an overpowering one.

Step 7

Make the white bean spread: mash the 0.5 cup of drained white beans with a fork until chunky but spreadable. Stir in the 2 roasted garlic cloves (or minced raw garlic), 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, a pinch of sea salt, a pinch of cracked black pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon of sherry vinegar. Spread a thin layer on 4–5 bread slices and top each with one or two roasted almonds.

Step 8

Top 4–5 bread slices with a piece of manchego cheese, then a piece of roasted red pepper. Drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of smoked paprika.

Step 9

Top 4–5 bread slices with jamón serrano torn into a rustic fold, then top each with one marinated white anchovy fillet. Finish with a slice of pitted green olive.

Step 10

Top 4–5 remaining bread slices with thin rounds of morcilla or chorizo. Drizzle each with a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Step 11

Arrange all pintxos on a serving platter in a visually appealing pattern, grouping like flavors together. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm — pintxos are best enjoyed within 15 minutes of assembly so the bread stays crisp.