Gigantes plaki (baked giant beans)

Let’s make it

1. Cover the beans generously with cold water and soak for 12 hours. Drain, cover with fresh water, boil for 10 minutes, then simmer for 45–60 minutes until tender but intact.
2. Drain the beans, keeping back 250 ml of the cooking water.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C.
4. Warm half the oil in a wide pan and soften the onions and carrot for 10 minutes, then add the garlic for another minute.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Mix the beans into the sauce with most of the parsley and dill and the reserved cooking water. Remove the bay leaf before baking.
7. Tip everything into a wide baking dish so the beans sit in a shallow layer and pour the rest of the oil over.
8. Bake uncovered for 60 to 75 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the beans on top are wrinkled and a bit crusty.
9. Scatter the remaining herbs over and serve warm or at room temperature with bread.