Jacket potatoes with tomato beans

The potatoes take their time, but the rest of supper does not ask for much attention. Start them first, then make the tomato beans near the end. The filling is deliberately simple so the crisp skins and soft potato middles still feel like the main event.

At a glance

Serves 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 60–70 minutes. Total: about 80 minutes; the beans cook while the potatoes finish.

Ingredients

• 4 medium baking potatoes, about 250 g each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the beans
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 50 ml water
• 100 g cheddar, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Make it together

A child can scrub the potatoes under running water, dry them, and put cheese in a small bowl. A grownup pierces and splits the potatoes, chops the onion, and handles the hot oven and saucepan.

1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork.
2. Rub with 1 tablespoon oil and half the salt. Put on a baking tray and bake for 60–70 minutes, turning once, until the skins are crisp and a knife slides easily into the centres.
3. About 20 minutes before they are ready, warm the remaining oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until soft.
4. Add garlic and paprika, stir for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, beans, water, remaining salt, and pepper.
5. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
6. A grownup should split each cooked potato and loosen the middle with a fork. Spoon over the hot beans and scatter with cheese.

At the table

Let the cheese soften in the heat of the filling. Potatoes vary in size, so check for tenderness rather than watching the clock alone. If they need longer, keep the beans on a very low heat and stir in a splash of water.

Illustrative food photograph; the finished recipe may look different. Photo: Gennady Zakharin / Unsplash.