Fried Broad Beans on Toast with White Bean Hummus and Za'atar

This is best made using very ripe, sweet tomatoes. Frying them in hot olive oil until charred concentrates the sweetness, which contrasts really well against the creamy white bean hummus

The broad beans need to be skinned to reveal the emerald green bean beneath

Use really good quality bread for the toast. Either a crunchy sourdough, or a good olive bread

Ingredients

1x400g good quality white beans, either cannellini or butter beans

1 clove garlic

juice of half a lemon

3 tablespoons tahini

sea salt

4 tablespoons olive oil

3-4 ripe tomatoes - sliced

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon za'atar

200g broad beans

2 slices of good quality sourdough or other bread

Method

Start by making the hummus. Drain the beans, then add to a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and the tahini. Blend on the fastest setting, adding a little cold water at a time until you get a smooth, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the salt or lemon to your taste

Put the broad beans in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, then pop the skins off

Next heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, gently lay the slices of tomato in the oil and fry over high heat until slightly charred, then turn and char the other side. Season with a little salt and pepper

Heat the remaining oil in another frying pan, and fry the broad beans until starting to brown

Pop the bread in the toaster, or under the grill and toast

To serve, place one piece of toast on each plate, top with the hummus. Divide the fried tomatoes between the two plates, then top with the fried broad beans before scattering the za-atar over

Finally, spoon a little of the oil from the pan you fried the tomatoes in and drizzle over

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