Oven baked Giant White Beans (Gigantes sto fourno)

These past few days I have been following a free on-line Food Blogger Bootcamp from Food Blogger Pro, if  you have a moment check out there site fellow food bloggers..:) I followed this because I consider myself to still be knew to all of this, and I knew that I would learn some new tips and tricks that as a food blogger would be helpful to me.   I truly enjoyed the Bootcamp so thank you so much Food Blogger Pro!!!   😉  I have not been able to read everyones posts so I am a bit behind,  I am hoping to catch up on my reading soon.  🙂

I had a small batch of Giant White Beans left in my pantry that we  bought in a small town outside of Athens while we were visiting friends on vacation last year.  They come from a region in Northern Greece called Prespa (Prespes). A beautiful part of Greece that has a gorgeous lake along with some of the most rarest fish and birds that you will love if your a Nature Lover!! 🙂  It is absolutely worth the trip!! 🙂   This area grows the best  beans and most of which are organic.    There is a very small fruit and vegetable market in the town that I mentioned that sells  these beans, so when its time to head back to NL we stop by for some last minute food (beans) shopping. 

This is such a  healthy, delicious, vegetarian meal full of Fibers and Protein! If you find some in your area try out this recipe, I am sure you will love it!!

Ingredients:

300 grams Giant White Beans  (soaked in water overnight)

1 Leek diced

1 Carrot diced

1 Bell Peppers chopped 

1/2 cup Olive Oil

800 grams Chicken Broth

2 Bay Leaves

1 tablespoon Tomato Paste (optional)

4 fresh Tomatoes grated

2 tablespoons Sugar

Salt

Pepper

Sweet Paprika  (optional)

Preparation:

Soak bean in water overnight.  The following morning drain and add into a large pot of water.  I boil the beans and drain the water they have been boiled in 2 times before cooking them.

Add 1/2 of the Olive Oil into a pot and toss in the carrot, leek and sauté.  Continue by adding the tomato paste and stir.

Add the Chicken broth, if you don’t have any you can use the same amount of water.

Add in grated tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes before adding in the beans.

Add in beans, sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaves and cook for 1/2 in pot.  Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees and in a large baking pan add in the beans along with the Olive Oil that was left over.  Bake in oven for 1 1/2 hrs. or until beans have soften, and sauce has thicken.

Serve either as a main dish or a side dish…it really is up to you.  🙂

Kali Orexi!!! 🙂