Skillet white beans with spinach and garlic toast

Read through the recipe and gather the equipment. Use the ingredient lines to divide the oil and garlic. Rinse the beans in the colander under cold water and leave them to drain. Finely chop the onion. Thinly slice 3 cloves garlic; peel and halve 1 clove garlic for the toast. Juice half of the lemon (half of each lemon if you have two) and cut the other half into wedges. Check before heating: Beans draining, onion chopped, garlic sliced and halved, and lemon juiced and wedged.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep skillet or wide pot, about 12 inches (30 cm) across, over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onion and a pinch of salt from the measured total. Stir occasionally until the onion is soft with lightly golden edges, about 8 minutes.

Add 3 cloves garlic, the tomato paste, oregano and optional pepper flakes. Stir over medium heat until the paste is brick red and the garlic smells sweet, about 1 minute. If the garlic starts to color before the paste darkens, add the tomatoes at once.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, drained and rinsed beans, water or vegetable stock and the remaining salt. Stir and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Leave the pan uncovered and stir now and then. Partway through, mash a spoonful of beans against the pan and stir it back in. Cook until the sauce coats the beans and a spoon drawn through it leaves a brief path, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the bread until the toast is crisp and deep golden with a rough surface. Use a toaster or a dry second skillet over medium heat; turn the skillet slices once. While hot, rub one side of each slice with the cut face of 1 clove garlic, halved, then drizzle the slices with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Stir in the spinach a big handful at a time over low heat, letting each handful wilt before adding the next. When the spinach is wilted and glossy, remove the pan from the heat and add the juice from half the lemon allocated to this batch. Taste a small spoonful. Aim for a savory flavor with a bright lemon finish. If it tastes flat, add salt to taste in small amounts. If it tastes heavy, squeeze in a little more lemon from a wedge. Add black pepper to taste.

Divide the beans into 4 servings. Sprinkle over the Parmesan, if using, and serve hot with the garlic toast and the remaining lemon wedges. The beans are portioned with the toast alongside.