Cannellini beans on toast with shaved White Lake pecorino recipe
Canned or bottled beans are great standbys if you don’t want the faff of soaking and cooking dried ones. I’ve used Bold Bean Co cannellini beans, but any will do. They have all sorts of uses, from beefing up soups and stews to accompanying meat or fish – or simply serving on toast.
White Lake are great Somerset cheesemakers who have mastered several European cheeses, like pecorino and feta (or ‘Fetish’, as they call it), using milk from their own sheep and goats. You could also use Parmesan or cheddar.
Timings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves
4
Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
350g canned or bottled white beans, drained and washed
2 large red tomatoes, cut into small dice
leaves from a few sprigs of fresh oregano or marjoram, chopped
4 x 2cm-thick slices of focaccia
120-150g pecorino
Method
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes without colouring. Add the beans, tomatoes and oregano or marjoram and season to taste.
Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes over a low heat, stirring as it simmers. Meanwhile, toast the focaccia on both sides, then place on serving plates. Spoon over the beans and drizzle with more oil, then shave over the cheese using a peeler or sharp knife.
