Gigantes Plaki Village Salad

⏱ 95 min · Serves 4

Butter-soft giant beans baked slowly in a sweet tomato and oregano sauce, then tumbled while still warm through a crisp horiatiki of cucumber, peppers, red onion and salty feta. It's the best of a Greek taverna table in one generous bowl — hearty enough for dinner, brilliant cold the next day.

Per serving: 628 kcal · 26.0g protein · 58.0g carbs · 32.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g dried gigantes or butter beans, soaked overnight (or 3 x 400g tins butter beans, drained)
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 150ml hot water
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Small bunch dill, chopped
• 1 large cucumber, halved and thickly sliced
• 300g ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 green pepper, sliced into rings
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 Kalamata olives
• 200g block feta
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. If using dried beans, drain the soaked beans, cover with fresh water and simmer 45–55 minutes until tender but holding shape. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking liquid. Skip this if using tinned.
2. Heat the oven to 180C fan. In an ovenproof dish, warm 4 tbsp olive oil and soften the onion, garlic and carrot over medium heat for 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato purée, paprika and sugar, cook 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, hot water and a good pinch of salt.
4. Fold through the beans, adding a splash of bean liquid if it looks tight. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes until the top is caramelised and the sauce is jammy.
5. Stir most of the parsley and dill through the hot beans and leave to cool for 15 minutes — warm, not scalding.
6. Meanwhile, toss the cucumber, tomato wedges, pepper rings, red onion and olives with the vinegar, remaining 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt.
7. Spoon the warm gigantes onto a wide platter, pile the salad over and around, and crumble or lay the whole block of feta on top.
8. Finish with a heavy drizzle of olive oil, a shower of oregano, the last herbs and plenty of black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.