Beans on Toast

📝 Ingredients

• 1 tin white beans (265 g drained)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 brown onion (about 100 g)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 4 slices wholemeal bread (about 40 g each)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Colander
• Chopping board
• Toaster or frying pan

📖 Steps

1. Peel the onion and chop it as finely as possible: tiny pieces melt into the sauce, as in the tinned version. Peel and chop the garlic. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse under cold water.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, then cook for 5 min, stirring, until soft and translucent but not coloured. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomato purée and stir for 1 min so it lightly colours the onion. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, brown sugar and vinegar, stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Add the beans, lower to a medium-low heat and simmer for 10 min uncovered, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens and coats the spoon. Crush a few beans against the side of the pan to make it creamier.
5. Meanwhile, toast the slices of bread in the toaster or in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, 2 min per side, until golden and really crisp: they need to hold up under the sauce without going soggy.
6. Taste the sauce, then season with salt and pepper. If it's still too runny, cook for another 2 to 3 min; if it's too thick, loosen it with 2 tbsp hot water.
7. Put 2 slices of toast on each plate and spoon over plenty of piping hot beans. Serve straight away with a grind of pepper, while the bread is still crisp.