Some dishes are just best eaten a day or two after they are made. Soups, chilis, and even macarons benefit from a little extra time before they hit the table.

This is definitely one of those recipes. If you eat it the same day as you make it, you will be disappointed. Give it a day (or two) the fridge and you will have rich, tomato-y and slightly cheese-y beans with a bright pop of fresh herbs. Add crusty bread and maybe a salad and future you will have an amazing dinner at the ready.

Makes: 8-12 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves crushed garlic or 1/4 cup finely chopped garlic scapes
• 1 28oz can of Italian tomatoes (the best you can find, chop up the tomatoes if they are whole)
• 1/2 cup tomato puree (or homemade tomato sauce if you happen to have any of that around)
• 2 19oz cans of white beans (such as white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated please, not from a shaker)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped herbs of your choice (I used oregano, dill and tarragon) plus more for serving
• Salt to taste (I used about 1 tsp but go slow here)

Directions:

1. Sautee onions and garlic or garlic scapes in olive oil until onions are transparent but not browned (sprinkle them with a pinch of salt to help this process)
2. Add canned tomatoes and tomato puree and let simmer for about 5 minutes
3. Add beans and stir in
4. Add parmesan cheese
5. Let simmer 30 minutes
6. Add herbs, let simmer 2-3 more minutes, taste for seasoning and add salt to taste, then set aside to cool
7. Refrigerate for 1-2 days, heat before serving (for bonus points sprinkle with more fresh herbs right before serving)
8. Add some crusty bread and maybe a salad and dinner is sorted

Notes:

• Serving these to guests and don’t want them to know you made them in advance? No problem. Just heat them up in your prettiest pot, mess up the kitchen (and your hair) a bit, and no one will be the wiser.
• Garlic scapes are found in the spring and early summer at farmers markets. If you are lucky enough to have a garden of your own, the garlic scapes are the alien-looking stalks that come up in the middle of the leaves of the garlic plant, and are best harvested when they are thin and tender.