GreekMain course
Gigantes Plaki
Gigantes Plaki are large butter beans baked in a savory tomato sauce until they're meltingly tender. The sauce gets its depth from sautéed onion and garlic, bright tomato purée, and a warming touch of oregano and cinnamon. You'll start by soaking and simmering the dried beans, then they finish in the oven, slowly absorbing all those rich flavors. A final drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley makes it ready to serve.
15 minServes 4
Method
3 steps · 15 min total
- 01
Soak and Simmer Beans
To start, soak the butter beans overnight in plenty of water. The next day, drain and rinse them, then place them in a pan and cover with fresh water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 50 minutes, until the beans are slightly tender but still have a bit of bite; they shouldn't be soft yet. Drain them and set aside. - 02
Sauté Aromatics and Simmer Sauce
Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. In a large frying pan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking for 10 minutes until they've softened but haven't taken on any color. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of tomato purée and cook for another 1 minute, then add the 800g of tomatoes, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and a pinch of cinnamon. Let this simmer for 2-3 minutes, then season generously with salt and pepper.
