Tuscan White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Rapini

Directions

1. Tuscan Beans with Tomatoes
2. Place beans in large pot and soak in plenty of water overnight.
3. Drain beans and cover with plenty of fresh water and a bay leaf. Bring to boil, then simmer till softened but still holding shape.
4. Add salt to hot cooking water and let sit at least 20 min while preparing other ingredients. This will salt the beans.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
6. Combine chopped garlic with basil and oregano (I use a mini chopper to chop altogether). Set aside and keep covered to prevent from drying out.
7. Lightly oil an oven-safe cassarole dish. Place tomato quarters in dish in one layer. Sprinkle tomatoes with kosher salt and pepper. Bake till just starting to soften and getting a little brown.
8. Remove tomatoes from oven and spread top with half of garlic mixture. Bake until garlic is just browning, about 5 minutes? Then remove from oven and leave oven on.
9. Drain beans into colander, reserving a little of the cooking water. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into empty pot, place on medium heat. Cook other half of garlic mixture just till fragrant, less than 1 min, dont let garlic brown.
10. Add drained beans to pot and cook lightly for one minute, then add a few tablespoons of cooking water (or fresh water) and allow to simmer with herbs and garlic till just a little softer, moistened and well seasoned, about 10 minutes. Add water a little at a time to keep beans from drying out. Add kosher salt to taste.
11. Layer beans on top of tomatoes, top with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Set aside while cooking rapini. Once rapini is cooked, place cassarole of beans and tomatoes back in oven and bake until cheese is melted and starting to brown on top.
12. Serve with stirfried rapini and crusty bread.

1. Sirfried Rapini
2. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Put rapini into boiling water and cook 30 seconds, then drain into colander.
3. Put large frying pan on medium heat, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
4. Cook shallots till softened and just beginning to color.
5. Add mushrooms sprinkled with kosher salt and cook till soft.
6. Turn heat to high and add balsamic vinegar, stirfry till almost evaporated, less than one minute.
7. Add rapini to frying pan and stir to coat and heat through.