Quick ‘Baked’ Beans
Introduction
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
12 small fresh sage leaves (or 1 tsp chopped rosemary)
1 cup canned crushed Italian tomatoes
400g (14 oz) can white butter beans, rinsed and drained
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
100g (3-4 oz) baby spinach leaves, optional
Feta, yoghurt or buffalo cream cheese, optional
Method
1 Heat the oil in a small to medium-sized frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the garlic and sage and sizzle for a few minutes until fragrant, but don’t let the garlic colour.
2 Add tomatoes, bring to the boil, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper and cook gently for a few minutes more until beans are hot. Serve hot or at room temperature.
3 If using spinach, gently stir until wilted. If adding feta, yogurt or buffalo cream cheese, add to pan, but don’t stir through, or transfer to a serving dish and add.
Recipe Notes
Canned butter beans are large white beans that hold their shape well when added to other ingredients and cooked further, as in this dish. If not available, use cannellini beans, but reheat gently and avoid mashing them.
Serve the beans on toasted muffins or grainy bread and top with poached or soft-boiled eggs.
Another idea is to crumble feta over the top, or swirl in dollops of yoghurt. I added blobs of whipped buffalo cream cheese for a good protein addition.