Here’s an easy Roast Tomato, Garlic, and White Bean Spread to make use of any left over in-season tomatoes you may have picked up this summer. Trust me, there’s no way around it, dried beans are better than canned!
I generally try to use the freshest in-season ingredients whenever possible. This is especially true when your recipe only has a few ingredients. For this appetizer spread you want to find the best tomatoes you can. Whether they’re sweet and fresh in-season tomatoes or high quality imported from Italy DOP tomatoes, use the best you can find. I’ve tried this with canned beans but there’s simply no contest – rehydrated dried beans are robust and slightly sweet making canned beans taste like a wet paper bag. It’s no biggie. Just get a little heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven and cook the beans with a pinch of salt for about an hour. The tomatoes and garlic have to roast anyway.
This is a very low effort recipe. While your beans are rehydrating you can prep the tomatoes and garlic. Just grab a sheet pan, drizzle the tomatoes and a head of garlic with some good olive oil and flakey sea salt and roast for 30-40 minutes. Reserve the juice on the sheet pan to adjust your spread’s consistency. Roughly chop the tomatoes and smush up the cooked beans. Cut the root off the head of garlic and use the flat side of your knife to squeeze out as much sweet roast garlic as you can. Finely mince about a teaspoon of fresh oregano. Combine everything in a mixing bowl and stir them together with a fork. Add a bit of reserved juice from the sheet pan if desired.
Serve this roast tomato, garlic, and white bean spread in a small bowl with your favorite baguette. Shout out to my favorite (Best of Philly 2018) bakery – Kettle Black. I’d perhaps top the spread off with a fine grating of aged manchego cheese and a bit of olive oil.
Roast Tomato, Garlic, and White Bean Spread
Ingredients
- 1 Cup dried Great Northern White Beans
- 4-5 Medium Tomatoes
- 1 Head of Garlic
- 2-3 Springs of Fresh Oregano finely minced
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
Instructions
- Place tomatoes and the entire head of garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and spring with salt. Place in to a preheated 400°F oven and roast for 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool before working with the tomatoes and garlic.
- Add 1 cup of dried Great northern Beans and 3 cups water to a heavy bottom pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 60-90 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- When the beans are fork tender drain any excess liquid and mash the beans in the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to a large mixing bowl with the mashed white beans.
- Cut the root from the bottom of the garlic. Use the broad flat side of your knife to smush the roasted garlic out. Add roasted garlic paste and minced oregano to the bowl.
- Gently combine all ingredients with a fork and season with salt and olive oil to taste.
- Serve as a spread with garlic toast points.
