Giant white beans in the oven

GIANT WHITE BEANS IN THE OVEN

Ingredients

1/2 kilo giant white beans

1 cup olive oil

4 large ripe tomatoes or the juice of 2 lemons

3 carrots cut into thin slices

4 sprigs celery

A piece of red chili pepper less than half of a square centimeter

1 medium potato

Instructions

Soak the giant beans overnight in the water.

Next mornings put them in a pot and pour 5-6 cups of water over them.

Place the pot over high heat.

Boil them for ten minutes.

Strain the water in which the giant beans boiled and toss it.

If you want to reduce the gas this food produces during digestion, it is necessary to toss the first water.

Put in another pot 6 cups of water to boil.

Put the strained giant beans into the boiling water.

Let them boil for an hour, over medium heat.

Peel the carrots and cut them into thin slices. Add them into the beans.

Wash celery and cut it into small pieces. Add them into the beans.

Dice the potato and add it.

Put some salt and the red hot pepper into the beans.

Let the giant beans to cook until they become very soft.

If you want your beans to get red color, mash the tomatoes and pour them into the pot.

But If you like them white, substitute the mash tomatoes with the lemon juice.

After you add the tomato or lemon let the giants cook for five more minutes.

Pour the beans into a large and deep pan.

Add the oil and put the pan in the oven on the first rack from the bottom.

Bake at 200 C degrees until they absorb most of the fluid.

An hour of cooking is usualy enough.

If you want to dry the food further, put on the air for a few minutes.

The air makes the skin of giant beans crispy.

The giant beans can be offered as a main dish in fasting.

 But many times they accompany ouzo and they are served as antipasto.