Gigantes Plaki - Beans in Dill Tomato Sauce

Geia'sas paidia! Today is the day that I post my first recipe on the blog. I hope you like it. I'll give you a bit of a background on the dish.

The dish in Greek is called gigantes plaki (γίγαντες πλακί). Gigantes means giant. Typically you'd use fasolia gigandes (Greek large white beans), however, since I don't have them I'm using large lima beans. This dish is traditionally served as a meze, but if you have some pita bread and some feta cheese it'd make a filling lunch!

I'd have to say this is one of my favorite vegan dishes. When I'm on the North Shore of MA visiting family, we always go to a Greek store in NBPT to get our grape leaves, sweets and soaps. Every time I go, I make sure to buy a can of gigantes plaki. Since I haven't been lately, it's time that I make them on my own! They're cheap, vegan, bursting with antioxidants and a good source of fiber.

Pame! Let's go!

Gigantes Plaki:
1 lb dried large lima beans or gigantes
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup of liquid from cooked lima beans/bay leaves
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion(diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
6 cloves garlic (minced or diced)
1(28 ounce) can diced plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
small bunch dill (about 1/3 cup chopped)
medium bunch parsley (about 1/2 cup chopped)
salt & pepper to taste

The night before cooking, put the beans in a large bowl cover them by 2 - 4 inches with cold water. Let soak between 8 - 12 hours.

The next morning, drain the beans and discard the water. Put the beans in a large pot and cover them with two inches of water and add the 4 bay leaves. Bring beans to a simmer and let them cook for 45 mins to an hour. Beans should be tender, but not falling apart.

While the beans are simmering, finely chop the onion, carrot and celery ribs into small dices. Mince the 6 cloves of garlic, too.

In a large sauce pan heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. and add the celery and carrot when the onions appear to be a bit translucent. Cook everything until carrots are tender. ( About ten minutes)

Once carrots are tender, add the can of diced tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce thickens (About 15 - 20 minutes).

While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 350F.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then mix in the dill, parsley and oregano.

Once the beans are tender and done simmering, discard the bay leaves and drain the beans, but reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid for the sauce.

Once the sauce is done simmering, pour it over beans and add the 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Mix together.

Use 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to grease the inside of the casserole dish.

Pour the mixture into a casserole dish, and smooth it out with the back of a spoon.

Bake in an oven at 350F until the top is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 50 -60 minutes).

And et voila, there you have it: Gigantes Plaki.

This dish goes really well with pita bread and feta!