Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 500g dried haricot beans (or cannellini beans), soaked overnight
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1.5 litres hot water or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Crusty bread and olives, to serve

Method

1. The night before, place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water - they'll expand significantly, so use at least three times their volume of water. Leave to soak overnight at room temperature. This softens them and reduces cooking time. If you forget to soak them overnight, you can use the quick-soak method: cover with water, bring to the boil, boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and leave to soak for 1 hour.

2. Drain and rinse the soaked beans thoroughly under cold running water. Place them in a large pot, cover with fresh cold water, and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes - this is important as it removes toxins. Drain again and rinse. This pre-boiling step is essential for proper digestion and is never skipped in traditional Greek cooking.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned. The onions should be sweet and tender - this forms the flavour foundation of the soup.

4. Add the diced carrots and celery to the pot and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. These vegetables add sweetness and body to the soup. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant - don't let it brown or it will taste bitter.

5. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove any raw taste. Add the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with your spoon. Cook for 3-4 minutes to concentrate the tomato flavour.

6. Add the pre-boiled beans to the pot along with the hot water or stock, bay leaves, oregano, paprika, and chilli flakes if using. The liquid should cover the beans by about 3cm - add more if needed. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 50-60 minutes until the beans are completely tender but still holding their shape.

7. Stir occasionally during cooking and check the liquid level - if it's reducing too quickly, add a little more hot water. The soup should be thick and hearty, not watery, but the beans should be just covered with liquid. Fasolada should have a creamy texture where some of the beans naturally break down and thicken the broth.

8. About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste a bean to check it's completely soft - there should be no chalky texture in the centre. If the beans aren't quite tender, continue cooking and add a splash more water if needed. Some cooks like to mash a few beans against the side of the pot to make the soup even creamier.

9. Remove from heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes - the flavours will meld together beautifully and it will thicken slightly more. Remove the bay leaves. Taste again and adjust seasoning if needed - fasolada should be well-seasoned and full-flavoured.

10. Serve hot in deep bowls with a generous drizzle of excellent extra virgin olive oil on top - this is traditional and essential, adding richness and a peppery finish. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with plenty of crusty bread for dunking, some good olives on the side, and perhaps some feta cheese. Fasolada is considered Greece's national dish and was the staple food of Ancient Greeks. It's even better the next day when the flavours have developed further, and it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a splash of water when reheating as it thickens considerably when cold.