Corfu Recipes - Gigandes

This page gives you the opportunity to re-create some of your favourite Corfiot taverna recipes at home. This time, Yigandes Plaki (Baked Beans and Tomato Casserole.) Try to find original yigandes (gigantes) beans for this dish, otherwise use the biggest lima beans you can find. It is a popular dish during Lent and can also be served in small portions as a meze.

Ingredients - 1 pound of yigandes (or big lima beans), soaked for 12 hours, drained. 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced. 2 medium onions, finely chopped. Half a cup of olive oil. 1 pound of ripe tomatoes, peeled, finely chopped (or 16oz. of tinned chopped plum tomatoes). 2 small beef stock cubes. Salt and freshly ground pepper. 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped. 2 cups of water (one and a half cups if using tinned tomatoes).

Instructions - Put the beans in a pot with enough cold water to cover well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until just soft throughout but not quite cooked, approximately 50-80 minutes, depending on the beans. Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil with a wooden spoon until soft. Add tomatoes (if using canned, add all liquid as well), boullion cubes, salt, pepper, parsley, and water, and allow to boil gently for 10-30 minutes, until it begins to thicken. Place the beans in an flat oven-proof dish, pour tomato mixture on top, stir and spread mixture out evenly. Bake for one and a half to two hours, or until the beans are soft. (Check the dish during cooking and if needed, add a small amount of boiling water.) The dish should look crispy on top. Remove from the oven, cover, and allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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