’Nduja Gigantes 'Beans on Toast' Recipe, by Georgina Hayden
by Georgina Hayden
While beans of the canned British variety seem to divide people, I can assure you that either of the recipes here would win anyone over, on toast for breakfast, or as part of a larger dinner. They’re a great way to start the day and I’ll often make a bigger batch than this and keep them in the fridge or freezer for a future quick meal.
These rich and deeply flavoured tomato beans are the love child of a Greek and Italian summer fling. Butter beans are pepped up with fried ’nduja, which adds a hum of heat. If you can’t get your hands on ’nduja, you could try cooking chorizo (gluten-free, if needed), or even just leave it out for a vegan option, adding a finely sliced chilli for that kick.
Recipe extracted from Medesque, by Georgina Hayden. Published by Bloomsbury.
Ingredients for Nduja Gigantes
- 2 onions
- 3 carrots
- 3 celery sticks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ bunch of flat leaf parsley
- 90g ’nduja
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 1 large (570g) jar, or 2 × 400g cans, of butter beans
- 200g cherry tomatoes on the vine
- 4 slices of ciabatta, or any gluten-free bread, to serve Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make Nduja Gigantes
- Peel and finely slice the onions and carrots. Trim and slice the celery. Place a large shallow flameproof casserole or deep, large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and sliced onions, carrots and celery. Season well and fry for 5 minutes. Finely chop the flat leaf parsley, stalks and all.
- Crumble the ’nduja into the pan, increase the heat and fry for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée, followed by the butter beans and the liquid from the jar or cans. Pour in 150ml water too, then stir in most of the chopped parsley. Nestle in the cherry tomatoes on the vine and leave to bubble away gently for around 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat your grill to high. When everything is tender, reduced slightly and rich, transfer the pan to the grill for 3–5 minutes, until it forms a lovely crust on top, while you toast the ciabatta. Finish by scattering over the remaining chopped parsley and serve with the slices of toasted ciabatta, to pile the beans on.
