First I will tell you that I meant to make Deb Perelman’s Pizza Beans. This Smitten Kitchen recipe has been one of the most talked-about and produced recipes I’ve ever known. Members of our Bean Club make it constantly and collectively they’ve made it a classic. Read more in this blog post about how this dish morphed into a lazy excuse to use up leftovers.

• 2 cups fully cooked Rancho Gordo Royal Corona, Ayocote Blanco, or Cassoulet beans, drained
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped roughly
• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped and stems discarded
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (low moisture, not fresh), grated
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Serves 2 to 4

1. Preheat the oven to 475F. Mix the beans, tomatoes, peppers, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil together and pour into an oven-safe casserole. Top with the two kinds of cheese.
2. Bake for 20 minutes. The top should be browned and the beans bubbling.

Note: If you have a larger casserole dish, you may need additional cheese to cover the whole dish. I don't think many will complain about extra cheese. This recipe can also easily be doubled or even tripled if you have a very large dish (it makes great leftovers).