On a typhoon day like today, what better than a warm, tomato based bean casserole with a lovely sourdough bread to dip in.
Once considered a poor man’s food, this dish and others like it are making a comeback, as they are now being highlighted as the cornerstones of the healthy Mediterranean diet. At my family home, I remember my mother always insisting on at least 2 vegetarian days a week, which was quite common. So beans, pulses, legumes were the go to on those days. Sometimes she would pair up with freshly fried sardines. Oh, those moments…
The traditional way to prepare this casserole is using good quality white dry beans and soaking them overnight. It takes some time for the beans and the vegetables to simmer and the flavours to develop but the result will be a robust, delicious and nutritious soupy casserole, that will warm your soul on a dull, stormy day at home. Serve it with Kalamata (my preference is sun dried black oiives) olives, some Greek Feta cheese, and always a loaf of crusty bread.
Recipe serves: 4 persons. Total cook time: 1.5-2 hours (60 mins if using pressure cooker)
Ingredients
300g dried white small Greek beans
6-7 cups of fresh water
1 red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (with their leaves), thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large bay leaves
1½ cups tomato passata or thick crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP. tomato paste
2 medium sized potatoes, cut in large cubes
½ tsp. dried organic Greek oregano
¾-1 tsp. sea salt --- freshly ground pepper --- red pepper flakes
1-2 TBSP. vinegar
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil (at the end)
200g Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese (serving suggestion)
50g Kalamata or Sun Dried Olives (serving suggestion)
Instructions
Rinse the beans, discard malformed or stone-like ones. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight (preferably).
The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot with just enough fresh water to cover them. Bring to a boil. You will notice that white foam will rise to the surface of the water. Remove it with a spoon and then drain the beans in a colander. (This step is necessary to get rid of the impurities and it also makes the beans much easier on your stomach!)
Place the beans back in the pot with the six cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the beans cook, prep the vegetables.
Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ⅓ cup of olive oil and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, potato and the seasoning. Cover the pot partially and continue simmering for about 30 minutes more, or, until the beans are very tender and the soup is thick and creamy. Check to see if a little more liquid is needed, and if it does add a little warm water. The consistency of the soup should be casserole thick.
Just before removing from the heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar and the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve hot with some hearty bread, seasoned olives and Greek Feta cheese.
Notes
The cooking time depends on the age and condition of the beans. Older dry beans take much more time to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
This soup is even more flavorful the next day. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. Reheat the soup gently in a pan on the stovetop.
Pressure Cooker
If you use a pressure cooker, then follow steps 1-2 as above in an open pan and then combine steps 3-5 under pressure. Essentially add all the ingredients together, stir and then pressure cook. Cooking time can be around 35-45 minutes depending on your pressure cooker. Add more water and continue pressure cooking until beans are soft and creamy.
