Green cannellini and tahini

Serves 4 as a main, or 6 as a side

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400*F. Toss the pita with the za’atar, 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a good grind of pepper, and spread out on a medium, parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, tossing halfway, or until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool.

Step 2

Set aside a mounded 1/2 cup of the beans in a medium bowl. Put the remaining beans, 2.5 cups/600ml of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the beans are nicely softened and warmed through. Keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.

Step 3

Make the tahini sauce by whisking together the tahini, lemon juice, and minced garlic with 5 tablespoons (70ml) of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl, until smooth and pourable. It will thicken as it sits.

Step 4

Make the chile oil by putting the oil and chile flakes into a small frying pan and placing it on medium heat. Cook for 4 mins, then add the paprika and remove the pan from the heat. Set aside.

Step 5

Put the reserved mounded 1/2 cup (100g) of beans into a food processor, along with the herbs, cumin, garlic, lemon juice, the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz until smooth, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Step 6

Drain the warm beans in a sieve set over a bowl, then add them and 7 tablespoons (100ml) of their cooking liquid to the herb mixture, mixing well to combine. You want the beans to be well coated and the whole mixture to be saucy (but not overly wet), so add a couple extra tablespoons of cooking liquid if you wish (discarding the remainder).

Step 7

Transfer to a large lipped platter and drizzle with half the tahini sauce and all the chile oil. Sprinkle with half the pita and serve warm, with the extra tahini and pita alongside.