Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and keep the water gently bubbling.
Squash a few of the cannellini beans between your fingers; if they are hard, gently heat them for 2 minutes in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Add the beans to a large bowl.
Mince 3 of the garlic cloves. Pour the tomatoes into a small saucepan, add the bay leaf (