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Gigantes plaki
Baked giant beans in tomato, dill and olive oil (γίγαντες πλακί)
Gigantes plaki is a tray of fat, creamy beans baked in a thick tomato sauce until the top catches and wrinkles. You find it in every taverna's display of oven dishes, on meze tables with bread and olives, and in home kitchens during Lent. The best beans come from Kastoria and Prespes in northern Greece, but any large dried butter beans work. The beans are boiled first, then baked with onions, carrot, celery, garlic and dill. Serve warm or at room temperature with feta for those who eat dairy and crusty bread. Start the night before: the beans need to soak for at least 12 hours. Chef's tip: don't salt the boiling water or add tomato until the beans are already tender; acid and salt too early are the common mistake that keeps the skins tough.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the beans
For the sauce
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz dried giant beans (gigantes or large butter beans) and put them in a large pan with fresh water to cover by 5 cm and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil, skim off the foam, then simmer over a low heat for 50–60 minutes, until the beans are creamy all the way through but still hold their shape. Older beans can take longer.
55 minStep 2: Drain, keeping 250 ml of the cooking water. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
Step 3: Meanwhile, warm half of ½ cup olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook 2 onions, 1 carrot and 1 stick celery for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet. Add 3 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens.
11 minStep 4: Add 14 oz chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and the reserved bean water. Simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
10 minStep 5: Stir in the beans, ⅔ oz dill and ½ oz flat-leaf parsley and tip into a baking dish in an even layer. Drizzle with the rest of the oil.
Step 6: Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbling and the beans on top are browned and slightly crinkled. If it dries out before then, add a splash of water.
40 minStep 7: Rest for 15 minutes. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes better on day two.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gigantes plaki take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 105 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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