By Colu Henry

This hearty, flexible stew comes together with pantry ingredients and delivers layers of flavors. Cherry tomatoes, roasted in a generous glug of olive oil to amplify their sweetness, lend a welcome brightness to this otherwise rich dish. Onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes form the backbone of this dish, to which white beans and broth are added, then simmered until thick.

Note: I made this stew using only 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and 1 cup of water. You can avoid the stock altogether if you want to make the meal vegetarian.

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 to 6 servings

• ½ cup roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves and tender stems
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon) Note: If your tomatoes are not sweet, the zest is unnecessary.
• 2 (10-ounce) containers cherry or grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons and more for drizzling (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (such as butter or cannellini), rinsed
• 1½ cups vegetable or chicken broth, or water
• Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
• Toasted bread, for serving

PREPARATION

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, gently toss together the parsley and lemon zest with your hands until well combined; set aside.

In a large baking dish or on a sheet pan, toss the tomatoes with ¼ cup oil and thyme; season well with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until they have collapsed and begin to turn golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

When the tomatoes are almost done roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large (12-inch), deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the rinsed beans and broth and bring to a simmer. With the back of a spoon or spatula, gently smash about ½ cup of the beans so they slightly thicken the broth. If you want a thicker stew, crush some more of the beans. Season with salt and pepper.

When the tomatoes are finished roasting, add them directly to the stew along with any juices that have been released. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more so the flavors become friendly; season to taste with salt.

Ladle into shallow bowls. Top each serving with some of the lemon-parsley mixture and drizzle with more olive oil, and season with flaky salt, if you like. Serve with toasted bread.

The dish is vegan as written, but should you choose to top your bowl with a showering of grated pecorino or Parmesan, it would most likely work well in your favor.