With Garlic-Rubbed Bread Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 pound cipollini or small boiling onions, blanched for one minute in boiling water, dropped in cool water and peeled
- 1 lb large cherry or mini-Roma tomatoes (mixed color cherry tomatoes look great in this; 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- A few tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2-2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
Directions
- Toss tomatoes with blanched and peeled onions on a baking sheet or large, shallow baking dish with salt and olive oil. The trick with the oil is to coat them well, and keep them from sticking, but not overdo it. Roast at 500, anywhere from 35-50 minutes, until they show brown patches and the tomatoes are falling apart.
- Assemble the dish by placing the white beans at the bottom of a large bowl or large deep platter, scraping the tomatoes and all of their juices on top, and topping it with slivers of basil leaves.
- Serve immediately.
I like to throw a few garlic-rubbed bread cubes* in the bottom of a plate or small bowl and scoop the goods on top.
* Lately, I’ve been using 4 1″-thick slices of a large ciabatta loaf and partially drying them out in the oven, but use whatever bread you fancy or have around. (If I’m in more of a hurry, I’ll toast them in the oven with the tomatoes, for just a minute or two.) When I take them out, I immediately rub both sides with a peeled, halved raw garlic clove. Then I cut them into cubes. You don’t want them as hard as store-bought croutons, but a nice crunch is ideal for soaking.