Recipe of Tavče Gravče Recipe: Traditional Macedonian Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 500 g dried white beans, large flat variety (e.g. gigante or tetovac beans)
• 2 large onions
• 2 red bell peppers
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (or 2 grated ripe tomatoes)
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika (smoked paprika also works)
• ½ tsp chili flakes or 1 dried chili
• 100 ml sunflower oil (or olive oil)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
• Rustic bread or lepinja to serve (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Soak the beans in plenty of cold water the night before (8-12 hours).

2. 2

   Drain and rinse the beans; boil them in a pot of fresh water with the bay leaf and a pinch of salt for 60-90 minutes (or 30-40 minutes in a pressure cooker), until tender but still whole. Reserve the cooking liquid.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, peel and slice the onions into strips and the peppers into thin slices; sauté them in the oil over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the paprika and the chili flakes and mix right away so the paprika doesn't burn.

5. 5

   Combine the drained beans with the sautéed vegetables, season with salt and pepper and transfer everything to a clay baking dish or an ovenproof casserole.

6. 6

   Pour in a little of the reserved cooking liquid until it barely covers the beans; scatter a few thin raw onion rings and a drizzle of oil on top.

7. 7

   Bake at 200 °C (400 °F) for 45-60 minutes, uncovered, until the liquid thickens and a golden crust forms on the surface.

8. 8

   Let it rest for 5 minutes out of the oven, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with bread and, if you like, a shopska salad or roast meat.