Gigantes Plaki Sto Fourno Baked Giant Beans Recipes

GIGANTES PLAKI RECIPE (GIGANDES GREEK BAKED 'GIANT' BEANS)

Steps:

• To prepare the gigantes (Gigsntes) plaki, start by soaking the gigantes beans overnight into plenty of water. Drain them into a colander and rinse with plenty of water.
• Place the gigantes in a large pan with cold water, enough to cover them, add a pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 45 minutes, until tender but not cooked. Drain them in a colander and set aside.
• In the meantime, pour into a large baking pan the olive oil, add the chopped onions, the whole garlic clove (peeled) and bake at 180C, until softened and slightly colored (approx. 15 minutes).
• Turn the baking pan out of the oven. Add the gigantes beans (drained), the celery, the parsley, ½ cup of hot water and season with salt and pepper. Put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Turn the baking tray out of the oven, blend the gigantes beans lightly with a wooden spoon and pour in the grated tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of oregano and bake the gigantes plaki further for 50-60 minutes at 180C, until the beans are soft and tender and the sauce thickens.
• For an easier alternative, after soaking the gigantes beans overnight, drain and rinse them. Place in a large pan with enough water to cover them and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, drain them and place into a large baking pan, along with all of the ingredients, cover with some aluminum foil and bake at 180C for approx. 2 hours. The last 30 minutes, bake without the aluminium foil. Enjoy!

FASSOLIA GIGANTES PLAKI (GIANT BEANS BAKED IN THE OVEN)

Steps:

• Pick the beans clean from stones and grit and soak them in cold water overnight.
• Drain and rinse them in a colander, put into a large saucepan or a pressure cooker, cover with plenty of cold water and boil them until they are cooked but still a little hard.
• This type of bean cooks quickly, so be aware until you get used to them.
• They take hardly 2 minutes in a pressure cooker and about 30-40 minutes otherwise.
• If they get overcooked, they get mushy and soggy and they do not taste at their best.
• This first step then is also the most important in this recipe.
• Drain the beans through a colander and keep aside.
• In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the onions, the garlic and the dried herbs, until they start turning pale golden.
• Add the tomatoes with all the juice from the cans or, if fresh tomatoes are used, add 150 ml water.
• Then add the tomato puree and sugar, break up the mixture with a fork, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
• Mix the parsley into the tomato sauce, add the beans and mix well.
• Spread the beans in an oven dish.
• Sprinkle a little oregano and black pepper on the top and cook in a pre-heated oven at 350 grades F/ 80 grades C, for 30 minutes, without stirring, until they look slightly crisp on top and quite dry.
• Alternatively, add the beans to the tomato sauce, mix well, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.