Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans with Feta)

Name: Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans with Feta)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 3 cans butter beans, rinsed; 1 large onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 28 oz crushed tomatoes; ½ bunch parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp chopped dill; 4 oz feta, crumbled; 8 oz crusty bread, to serve; ⅓ cup olive oil; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp sugar; salt; pepper

LunchGreek75 minServes 4800 kcal34 g protein

Photo: Hevesli · Public domain · source

Creamy butter beans baked in a rich, olive-oily tomato sauce with carrots, celery, dill and parsley until jammy at the edges, finished with crumbled feta and served with crusty bread.

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Ingredients

3 cans butter beans, rinsed
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
28 oz crushed tomatoes
½ bunch parsley, chopped
2 tbsp chopped dill
4 oz feta, crumbled
8 oz crusty bread, to serve

From your pantry: ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper.

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375°F. Warm all but 2 tbsp of the oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium and cook the onion, carrots and celery until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, oregano and pepper flakes and stir 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, sugar, ½ cup water, 1 tsp salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in the beans, most of the parsley and the dill, and spread level. Drizzle with the remaining oil.
Bake uncovered until the sauce is thick and the top is browned and bubbling at the edges, 30 to 40 minutes.
Rest 10 minutes, then scatter with feta and the remaining parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread.

Tip: Real Greek gigantes are larger and creamier; look for them dried or jarred in Mediterranean shops. This is even better the next day and is often eaten at room temperature.