Could July be considered as the most lackadaisical month for cooking? This isn’t meant in a negative sense. Considering our culture’s fixation on productivity (“so busy, crazy busy”), we tend to shy away from praising apathy. But what if we embraced it instead? The weather is hot, the days are long; if the peak of summer calls for some sluggishness and a relaxed approach to to-do lists, maybe it’s worth a try. I could even allocate a day next week specifically for that purpose if I make some adjustments to my schedule.
Luckily, there’s little need for immense culinary efforts, particularly when gardens and farm stands are abundant with tasty produce that requires minimal preparation, such as ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes. In the event that I do decide to heat up my oven, this dish is definitely worth it. It requires a pound of tomatoes and is one of my absolute favorite summertime meals. Unlike slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, which become semi-dried and almost like tomato candy, these are rapidly roasted with garlic and olive oil until they become heavenly and bubbly. The salty juices condense in the oven, resulting in a delectable coarse sauce that complements and enhances the flavors of the beans. I like to top it off with a generous sprinkle of fresh basil leaves.
Although it’s possible and likely that you’ll eat straight from the baking dish, this dish is incredibly delicious when served over toasted bread slices as crostini. There are endless possibilities for experimenting with flavors – try adding in briny ingredients such as anchovies, capers, or cured black olives; use prepared pesto instead of fresh basil, and finish with parmesan, pecorino, or even burrata. However, if you only stick to tomatoes, garlic, beans, and basil, I guarantee you won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything.
Before
6 months ago: The Lentil Salad I Love
1 year ago: Strawberry Daiquiris from the Freezer
2 years ago: Collard Greens and Cornmeal Dumplings
3 years ago: Chile and Lime Seasoned Corn Salad
4 years ago: Grilled Zucchini Topped with Pesto and White Beans
5 years ago: Grilled Pizza and Confetti Party Cake -> Grilled Pizza and Celebration Confetti Cake 5 Years Ago
6 years ago: Peaches and Cream Bunny Cake -> Bunny Cake with Peaches and Cream 6 Years Ago
7 years ago: Green Beans and Almond Pesto and Very Blueberry Scones -> Almond Pesto Green Beans and Very Berry Blueberry Scones 7 Years Ago
8 years ago: Sticky Sesame Chicken Wings and Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches -> Sticky Sesame Wings and Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches 8 Years Ago
9 years ago: Slow-and-Low Dry Rub Chicken in the Oven and Grilled Bacon Salad with Arugula and Balsamic
10 years ago: Blackberry Gin Fizz Cocktail and Bacon Corn Hash
11 years ago: Skirt Steak with Bloody Mary Tomato Salad and Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme, and Sea Salt
12 years ago: Pickled cucumbers with bread and butter flavor, tart with blue cheese and red potatoes, galette with zucchini and ricotta, and a refreshing drink called Porch Swing.
13 years ago: Salad with Mediterranean flavors featuring peppers, sweet bars made with cherry and brown butter, and a thirst-quenching beverage known as Watermelon Lemonade.
14 years ago: Salad of Diced Vegetables, Watermelon, and Crumbled Feta
15 years ago: All-American Potato Salad by Rosanne Cash and Ratatouille’s Ratatouille
White Bean and Basil Roasted Tomatoes
Servings: 2 to 4 Time: 30 minutes Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen Print
5 tablespoons of olive oil, divided1 pound (455 grams) of halved, ripe cherry tomatoes6 small garlic cloves, peeled and finely choppedKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste1 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed cannellini or another white bean1/4 cup of loosely packed, thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Take a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil at the bottom. Place the tomatoes cut side up in the dish and arrange garlic cloves around them. Drizzle another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper grinds over the tomatoes. Roast the mixture for 20 minutes until it becomes bubbly and juicy. Remove it from the oven and place it on a trivet or cooling rack. Carefully use a fork to mash the tomatoes and garlic, which may still be slightly firm. Add drained beans and more salt and pepper as needed, then stir the mixture to combine. Put the dish back in the oven for 5 minutes. Finally, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, scatter some basil and enjoy right away, either as is or served over crostini.
Note: Almost all of my preferred methods of consuming beans involve substituting them for pasta in dishes. This is not due to any dislike towards pasta, gluten, or carbohydrates, but because the sauces I enjoy with pasta work equally well with other ingredients. The inspiration for this recipe comes from the baked cherry tomato sauce found in this fusilli pasta dish, which is adapted from Nancy Harmon Jenkins. However, I omit the breadcrumbs and cheese.
Baked tomato sauce fusilli
Here are some other bean dishes that take inspiration from pasta:
Pizza beans
Grilled zucchini ribbons with pesto and white beans
Cannellini aglio e olio
In 2009, a version of this dish incorporated cipollini onions, which are fantastic but require blanching and peeling, making it a hindrance to prepare as frequently as I’d prefer.
Roasted cipollini and tomatoes.
