cannellini beans, peppers and chard

cannellini, pepperoni e bietola

for 6

1 kg fresh cannellini beans in their pods

3 large, ripe yellow peppers, washed

600 g Swiss chard, stalks removed, washed

1 large, ripe tomato

5 garlic cloves, peeled

3 sage leaves

extra virgin olive oil

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried wild oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Place the cannellini beans in an ovenproof dish, cover with water and add the tomato, 2 garlic cloves and the sage leaves. Pour in 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Cover with foil as tightly as possible and pierce once with a pointed knife. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the beans are cooked and most of the oil has been absorbed. Cool.

Remove and discard the sage, tomato skin and any hard core. Push half the beans, the garlic and tomato through a mouli, or pulse-chop in a food processor. Return to the whole beans and mix together. Season.

Cut the peppers in half lengthways, keeping the stalk on, and remove the seeds. Cut each half into three lengthways. Finely slice the remaining garlic and mix it with the oregano and the olive oil. Smear each piece of pepper with the mixture. Place the pepper slices skin side down on a large flat roasting tray. Season and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the peppers are brown on the edges and cooked.

Cook the chard for 6–8 minutes in boiling, salted water, then drain and squeeze out all the water. Season then mix with 3–4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Serve all three vegetables together on individual plates.