1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large cooking onion, diced
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 cups of diced cooked ham
3 cups of cooked white pea beans
2 cups of canned tomatoes, diced, (optional Substitute Italian or Mexican stewed tomatoes for a spicier casserole.)
1 cup of grated Cheddar cheese or 1 cup grated Provolone cheese
1/2 teaspoon of basil
1/4 teaspoon of pepper 



Topping
1 1/2 cups of fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup of Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of olive oil

In a nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium/high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until soft. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine the garlic/onion mixture with the ham, beans, tomatoes, cheese, basil and pepper. Spoon into a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Combine all topping ingredients and spoon evenly over casserole. Bake in a preheated 350ºF. oven for 30-40 minutes, or until topping is a light golden color.