Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups dried brown or white beans
- 1/2 onion
- 1 small peeled carrot
- 1/2 celeriac or 1 celery stalk
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- salt
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
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Soak overnight in 4 cups of water
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Drain and cover with fresh water by 2 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and skim off any foam. Simmer gently until tender - 1 hour or so (or more depending on age and size of beans)
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Season with salt to taste. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid
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Finely dice onion, carrot and celery (or celeriac)
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Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed the pan.
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Add the diced vegetables and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add:
4 garlic cloves, thinly slices, 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped. Add salt to taste
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Cook for 5 minutes and then stir in:
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned.
Cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Mix the beans with the vegetables and put into a medium-size gratin or baking dish. Taste for salt. Add enough bean liquid to almost cover. Drizzle with olive oil and cover with toasted breadcrumbs
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Bake for 40 minutes in a preheated 350F degree oven, checking occasionally. If the gratin is drying out, carefully spoon in a little bean liquid (pouring at the sides of the gratin dish to avoid getting the crumbs wet).