Gigantes Plaki

If you are searching for a dish, easy to prepare, Gigantes plaki, will be right for you! Gigantes plaki (giant white beans) is served as a meze alongside other side dishes and  is popular during the cold fall and winter months. Normally it comes with bread to dip in to the tomato sauce drippings.
Listen and learn how to prepare!

Ingredients:

400g dried butter beans
3 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
800g ripe tomatoes, skins removed and roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley


Preparation:

1. Place the beans in a large bowl, pour enough water over to cover the beans and let them soak overnight.
   
   
2. Drain, rinse and then place in a pan covered with water. Heat till it boils, reduce the heat and then simmer for approx 50 minutes until they are slightly tender but not soft. Drain, then set aside.
   
   
3. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add chopped onions and garlic and leave it stand until the onions are golden brown,over a medium heat. 
   
   
4. Add the tomato purée, cook it a further minute, add then sugar, oregano, cinammon, flat-leaf parsley, chopped tomatoes and simmer then for another 2-3 minutes. Season  generously, stir in the beans, wait some minutes and put all into a ovenproof dish to bake the beans  approximately 1 hr in the oven, till they are tender. The flavours will be absorbed by the beans and the sauce will thicken.

Additional you can stir chopped fresh dill into the beans or scatter them with parsley and drizzle with a little olive oil to serve.

Καλή όρεξη!