Beans cooked in olive oil and eaten at room temperature are a Turkish staple. The mottled pink borlotti beans (they are called barbunya, which is also the name for red mullets) are a special treat. The Turkish ones obtainable here need to be picked over for foreign matter. There are also good-quality canned varieties which you can use.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Drain the beans, and boil them in fresh, unsalted water for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil until soft and golden, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir for a minute or so. Then add the tomatoes and cook gently until reduced to a pulp. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar, and chili pepper or flakes. Put in the drained beans and cover with about 2 1/4 cups water. Cook, covered, for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender (the time varies quite a bit), adding salt when they begin to soften, and more water as the mixture becomes dry. Add dill and the remaining oil, and cook for a few minutes more.
Step 3
Stir in the parsley and leave to cool in the pan.
Variation
Step 4
Use haricot or butter beans instead of borlotti beans. At a pinch, for an instant dish, you may use good-quality canned beans.
