Borlotti beans tomato garlic and crusty bread

Tender, flavoursome borlotti beans; perfect meat-free dish

Enjoy borlotti beans, tomato, garlic and crusty bread as a side or on a meat-free day.

• SERVES: 4
• PREP TIME: 5 mins
• COOK TIME: 1 hr 25 mins
• DIFFICULTY: easy
• IDEAL FOR: meat-free/vegetarian, comforting winter warmer, family, side dish

Borlotti beans

Plump, creamy and satisfyingly filling.

Perfect as a simple side dish or mashed with some herbs to top bruschetta.

Add them in a rich tomato sauce for some posh baked beans.

Or use them in stews and soups.

Keep them in your cupboard as a staple.

You can buy them cooked and tinned.

Or dried beans which you soak first (unless you are happy to wait a bit longer with your cooking.

For more lovely beany dishes, visit here

Borlotti, tomato, garlic and crusty bread

Ingredients

• 500 gm fresh borlotti beans, shelled
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 bulb garlic, cut in half horizontally
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
• 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
• Crusty stale bread, chopped into 1-2 cm pieces

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. Place beans in a medium baking dish; drizzle with oil and water. Add garlic, tomato and oregano.
3. Bake beans, covered, for about 1¼ hours or until beans are tender.
4. On a baking tray, drizzle your bread pieces with olive oil, season, mix around so the pieces are covered in oil and seasoning and bake/grill until lightly golden.
5. Just before serving, stir in basil and the crusty bread.

Recipe inspired by NZWomansWeekly