Lunch: White Bean, Tomato, and Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients

1 celery rib, sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped coarse
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 2 1/4 cups)
two 15-ounce cans small white beans (not cannellini), rinsed well and drained
12 fine-quality oil-cured black olives*, pitted and halved
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise (about 2 1/2 cups)
12 fresh sage leaves, chopped fine or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
In a 10- to 12-inch skillet cook celery in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in beans. Mash about one fourth of beans with back of a large spoon and stir in remaining ingredients except topping. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer bean mixture to a 2- to 2 1/2-quart gratin dish or other shallow baking dish and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Gratin may be prepared up to this point 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

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