Crispy Tomato & Butter Bean Skillet

This hearty, comforting dish was inspired by one of my favorite dishes at a restaurant called Westward in Seattle. The rich, sweet smell that wafted from the bubbling skillet the first time I ordered it, full of saucy, tomato-laden beans, salty cheese, and crisp bread crumbs, had me swooning in my chair and vowing to re-create the dish at home. The restaurant’s version uses gigante beans and fresh marjoram, but I like using canned butter beans and fresh rosemary, which are easier to find in most grocery stores. Just be sure to serve the skillet with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 2 cups store-bought marinara sauce (I like Rao’s)

• 3 (15-ounce) cans butter beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)

• 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

One Pan & Done by Molly Gilbert

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the center position.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook until just starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and rosemary and sauté for another minute. Add the marinara sauce, beans, and feta, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to low.

3. While the beans are heating on the stove, in a small bowl, mix together the panko, thyme, remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper.

4. Generously sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the skillet of beans. Transfer to the oven and bake until the beans are bubbling and the topping is browned and crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Serve hot, with lots of bread for sopping up the sauce.

* * *

Recipes reprinted from One Pan & Done. Copyright © 2017 by Molly Gilbert. Photographs copyright © 2017 by Aran Goyoaga. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.