Basil Butter Bean and Courgette Bake

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the conventional oven to 200°C/400°F. Use bread made without animal ingredients and commercially prepared pesto labelled vegan. Drain and rinse the butter beans; the listed 960 g is their drained weight, approximately four 400 g cans. Wash the vegetables, cut the courgettes into 1 cm half-moons, halve the tomatoes and finely chop the garlic.

2. 2

   Put the courgettes, tomatoes and garlic in a 4-litre oven-safe baking dish. Toss with the olive oil, salt and black pepper, then spread evenly. Roast uncovered on the middle shelf for 25 minutes.

3. 3

   Carefully stir the butter beans, pesto and 100 ml cold water into the roasted vegetables and their juices. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 17 minutes at 200°C/400°F.

4. 4

   Cut the bread into thick slices and arrange on a baking tray. Put the tray on the upper shelf and continue baking everything for 8 minutes, until the bread is lightly crisp and the bean mixture is bubbling. Check the centre of the bake with a food thermometer: it must reach 74°C/165°F. If necessary, remove the bread and continue baking the beans in 5-minute intervals until they reach that temperature.

5. 5

   Divide the bean and courgette bake between four plates and serve with the toasted bread.