Big, bold, beany goodness from Melbourne food writer Ella Mittas new cookbook Ela! Ela!.
These beans are one of the first things my Yiayia taught me to make. The most crucial element in this recipe is to be patient when cooking out your onions and capsicums before you add in the tomato. The longer you cook them out, the sweeter your result will be.
- Soak your beans in plenty of water overnight or for at least 12 hours; this will help them to cook evenly.
- The next day, cover the beans with water in a pot. Salt the water generously and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a few sprigs of thyme — I find the oil helps with the texture.
- Bring up to a boil, then turn down to a simmer; the beans should take around 25 minutes to cook through. Make sure you cook them until they’re creamy but not falling apart, as they’ll get cooked a second time.
- Once cooked, take them off the heat and allow them to cool in the cooking liquid (this prevents them from drying out).
- While the beans are cooking, start your base for the sauce. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Sauté your onions in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for around 15 minutes until they are translucent, then add your garlic.
- Sauté your garlic for around 30 seconds, then add in your capsicums. Cook on a medium-low heat until they’ve lost a fair bit of their liquid and have started to caramelise. This will take about 15–20 minutes.
- Add in your tomato paste, fry off for around 1 minute, then add your cans of tomatoes. Also add a can-full of water.
- Simmer until the sauce has come together: around 20 minutes.
- Drain your beans, leaving a little of their cooking liquid to one side in case you need it during the baking process.
- Mix the sauce through the beans in a baking dish, add a few sprigs of thyme and bake until you get nice crunchy caramel bits on the tops, which will take around 20-30 minutes.
- Once the beans are finished, let them cool slightly before seasoning with salt, pepper, lemon juice and the remaining olive oil. Stir through the dill now, too.
Ela! Ela! by Ella Mittas, $40, published by Murdoch Books.
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