Tomato & White Bean Braise with Olives

Ingredients

• 3 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• crusty sourdough bread, to serve
• 500 g cherry tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• Dressed rocket salad with shaved parmesan, to serve
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 3 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 15g fresh basil, leaves picked

Method

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide, shallow casserole or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes and fry gently for 2 minutes until the garlic is pale gold and fragrant — do not let it burn.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until they begin to blister and burst. Press gently on a few with the back of a spoon to release their juices.
3. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol, then stir in the vegetable stock and dried oregano.
4. Add the drained cannellini beans, the halved Kalamata olives, and the rinsed capers. Stir gently so the beans are submerged in the sauce without breaking them up.
5. Reduce the heat to low, cover loosely, and braise for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the sauce is rich and the beans have drunk in the flavours.
6. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly — it should be deeply savoury with a glossy, clingy consistency. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper.
7. Drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and scatter with torn basil. Serve straight from the pan with plenty of warm crusty bread to mop up every last bit of sauce. Stores in the fridge for 4 days and freezes for up to 2 months.