Restaurant (Re)creation: Nopa's Baked Butter Beans with Oregano, Breadcrumbs + Feta

Oh Nopa, how I love thee.  Leave it to Nopa to create the perfect comfort dish to warm you on these frigid San Francisco evenings (yes, we are still in California, but its seriously cold!)  Rather than using dried beans and soaking them, I decided to streamline the chef's recipe and use canned butter beans.  Please don't judge me for this substitution, but soaking dried beans just isn't in my weekday timeline.  I also decided to use fire roasted crushed tomatoes and basil pesto instead of cilantro pesto.  Anyhow, it all worked out great and my carnivorous husband devoured it with no complaints!  I mean, how can you not love baked beans, tomatoes, feta, breadcrumbs & pesto?  It's the culinary equivalent to a fireplace, cashmere blanket, and a good book.  You just can't put your fork down!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 14 oz can of butter beans
• 1 14 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta
• 1/2 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

-Drain and rinse the butter beans and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

-In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

-Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until softened.

-Add the tomatoes, oregano, and water and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

-Mix the butter beans and tomato sauce in a baking dish and sprinkle with feta.

-Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until cheese begin to bubble.

-Remove the dish from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

-Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small skillet and add the bread crumbs.

-Cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

-Top the beans with a dollop of pesto and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

~Enjoy~

Nopa

560 Divisadero St.

(415) 864-8643

nopasf.com