Veggie Supreme White Bean Hot Dish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large (at least 3 ½ quart, ideally oven safe) skillet, braiser, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until wilted. Stir in half the chopped garlic, the oregano, and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for a minute until fragrant. Add the olives, beans, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt and increase the heat to bring to a boil. (If using whole peeled tomatoes, break them up a little bit with your spoon.) Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Stir in the mascarpone (or ricotta or cream cheese) and a big handful of the mozzarella until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer its contents to a 9x13-inch casserole dish (or something of a similar size); if it is, keep the contents in the skillet. Top with the remaining mozzarella, sprinkling it all the way to the edge. In a small bowl, toss the panko with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the remaining garlic, and a pinch of salt. Scatter the panko all over the top of the mozzarella and bake until the cheese is melty and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned; begin checking for doneness at 15 minutes. Top with a storm of Parmesan, basil, and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and enjoy!

TO MAKE AHEAD: Complete the steps up through topping with breadcrumbs, assembling in a 9x13 inch metal casserole dish. Let cool, wrap in plastic or foil, and refrigerate of freeze. It’s last 2 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. If reheating from the fridge, uncover and proceed as directed but add on a few more minutes in the oven to ensure that it’s heated through. To reheat from frozen, cover loosely with foil and bake at 350 degrees for an hour, uncover, increase the heat to 450 degrees, and bake until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the innards are heated through; begin checking for doneness at 15 minutes. Top as above and enjoy!