Creamy Bean Dip and Roasted Tomato Salad

Ingredients

For 6 servings

• •1 lb cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint; 450g)
• •1 c. à soupe (15ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• •Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• •1 /2 ounce flat-leaf parsley leaves (1 loosely packed cup; 15g), roughly chopped
• •1 /4 cup (50g) pitted black olives, such as Niçoise, Taggiasca, or Kalamata
• •1 oil-packed anchovy fillet (5g), minced (optional)
• •Pinch red pepper flakes, gochugaru (Korean chili powder), or Aleppo pepper
• •1 c. à soupe plus 1 teaspoon (20ml) fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
• •1 medium garlic clove (5g)
• •2 tasse (425g) cooked dry white beans , drained, or one (15-ounce; 425g) can low-sodium white beans, drained and rinsed (see note)
• •1 c. à soupe (15ml) bean cooking liquid, from a pot of beans cooked from dry, plus more as needed (see note if using canned beans)
• •1 /4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• •1 loaf rustic sourdough bread, thickly sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and broiled until heavily toasted or warmed pita bread

Method

1. 1.For the Tomato Salad: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a 10-inch stainless steel skillet or on a small rimmed eighth- or quarter-sheet pan, combine tomatoes with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and shake pan to evenly coat tomatoes with oil. Transfer to oven and roast until tomato skins just begin to shrivel and split, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
2. 2.Transfer tomatoes and all of the juices that accumulated in the baking sheet (or skillet) to a medium bowl with parsley, olives, anchovy, and red pepper flakes. Using a spoon, gently stir to combine, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside (salad can be covered and left out at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days).
3. 3.For the White Bean Dip: While the tomatoes are roasting, place lemon juice in a small bowl. Using a Microplane, finely grate the garlic and immediately add to the lemon juice (alternatively, you can use a garlic press or finely mince the garlic with a knife). Set aside for 10 minutes.
4. 4.In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans, bean cooking liquid, and garlic-lemon juice mixture. Process beans, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, into a mostly smooth paste, about 1 minute. With food processor running, slowly stream in olive oil, and continue to process until mixture is very smooth, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust consistency with additional bean cooking liquid if necessary. Bean dip can be served right away or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
5. 5.For Serving: Transfer bean dip to large, wide serving bowl and use back of large spoon to spread bean dip up sides of bowl, leaving well at center. Spoon tomato salad in center of well. Serve with bread.