Gigantes Plaki

Perfectly tender beans in a rich, herby tomato sauce. This naturally vegan Greek classic is simply gorgeous.

Ingredients

For precooking the beans:

250 g (large) butter/lima or other white beans, soaked for at least 8 hours, drained and rinsed

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion, peeled and halved

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly bruised

For cooking the sauce:

Olive oil

1 stick of cinnamon

2 large bay leaves

2 onions, peeled and chopped

2 largish carrots, peeled and chopped not too finely

2 sticks of celery, sliced

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 heaped tbsp oregano

1 heaped tsp thyme

500 ml vegetable stock

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

The precooked beans

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Pour 1.5 litre water into an Instant Pot (instructions for cooking them in a regular pot follow).

Add all the ingredients listed under ‘For precooking the beans’.

Cook the beans on high pressure for 5 mins. Let the pressure come down naturally.

Drain the beans and discard the vegetables and cloves of garlic.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, check cooking instructions for your beans and cook them in a regular pot until they are about three quarters done.

Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius.

Pour a glug of olive oil into a large, lidded, oven-proof pot.

Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and onions.

Over a medium heat, sauté the onions for a few minutes, then add the carrots and celery. Sauté for about 10 minutes.

Add the herbs, one tsp of coarse sea salt and the garlic. Sauté for one more minute

Add stock, tomatoes and beans, turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

Put the lid on the pot and put the pot in the oven.

Bake for 45 minutes, lid on.

(Carefully) remove lid and bake uncovered for another 45 minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste.