Greek-Style Beans

ingredients

1 lb gigantes (butter beans, sorana beans also work!)

2-3 carrots, chopped into large rounds

4 celery sticks, largely chopped *Optional

1 onion, chopped

Hot red pepper, fresh or flaked *Optional

3 large tomatoes blended or 3 cups tomato sauce 

1 tbsp tomato paste 

1 tbsp light brown sugar *Optional

1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, stemmed and finely chopped *Optional

Sea salt

Olive Oil

Herbs: oregano, thyme, or rosemary

instructions

Soak beans overnight

Preheat oven to 400°F

Boil beans 45 minutes until they are parboiled or heat in a pressure cooker

Drain beans into large colander and save the liquid

Pour ½ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil into a large pot

Sauté onions with salt and pepper until soft

Add celery and carrots; sauté until tender

Add tomato, tomato paste, brown sugar, cooked beans (+ optional red pepper) Let all the flavors come to a soft boil for about 10 min

Transfer to an aluminum pan

Add in enough liquid from the cooked beans (water) until beans are almost covered

Generously salt and pepper

Cook for 1 hour (at 400) in the oven. About halfway through cooking time, gently shift the beans around the make sure they are cooking evenly (if beans look dry at any point, add additional liquid from cooked beans)

Top with chopped flat leaf parsley , rosemary, oregano, or thyme

Transfer beans gently to serving bowl, lightly mixing (they will be warm and fragile) and top with a drizzle of oil