“You might be tempted to think this recipe is just posh beans on toast, but to us Italians it’s an important dish, especially in regions where beans are a staple part of the diet.”
– Gino
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
– 8 slices of ciabatta bread
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 garlic clove, peeled
– Salt and black pepper to taste
– Extra virgin olive oil to serve
For the beans:
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
– 150g cherry tomatoes, quartered
– 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
– 2 × 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
DIRECTIONS
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat. Cover one side of each slice of bread with olive oil, then season with salt. Place the slices on the griddle for a few minutes until charred lines appear and the bread is crispy. Turn over and repeat on the other side.
While the bread is toasting, prepare the beans. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the oil and onion and season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes, cook for about a minute until they start to release their juices, then stir in the parsley.
Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes until warmed through, adding a little water if the mixture seems dry. You do not want the beans to get mushy, so once cooked, remove from the heat and season well with black pepper.
When the ciabatta is done, rub one side with the garlic. Serve the beans on top of the toast and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
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