Traditional Greek Recipe: Dry Beans in the oven “plaki”
Ingredients (Serves 6)
1-400 g pack dry beans Gigantes-Elefantes Arosis (available at Greek Specialty Stores)
4 medium-sized onions (ideally Vidalia) - 2 chopped and 2 sliced into rings
1 cup of olive oil
2 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes + 1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes
3 cups chopped celery
Pepper
Salt
Parsley (ideally fresh)
Cilantro and/or marjoram (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the dry beans in a big bowl and add plenty of water to cover them; allowing enough room and water for them to absorb the water and expand. Let them soak for about 10-12 hours. After soaking, remove all the floating beans. Drain and rinse well with water; set aside.
Boil the beans in a pot with lots of water, until the beans are really soft. Meanwhile, stew the chopped onions in 1/3 cup of oil; add the tomatoes, celery, salt, pepper, parsley and a little water from the cooked beans. Bring the sauce to the boil, and reduce to a simmer for 6 minutes. Place the cooked and drained beans in a baking pan, pour the sauce on the beans, top with the onion rings and pour the remaining 2/3 cup of oil on top. Put it in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
When cooked, let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
TASTE WITH: Olives, smoked or salted fish, various pickles, feta cheese
TO BE SERVED: As a main dish or starter “mezes”
Great source of protein & fiber!
