Tavce Gravce (Macedonian National Dish)

2 cups White Beans (dry, rehydrated)
2 medium Onions, chopped
1 cup (or a good handful) Sun Dried tomatoes, halved & seeds removed
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 cup Sunflower Oil (or any other oil with a high smoking point - Peanut oil)
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cumin, ground
1 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (2 if you like it spicy)
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 tbsp Mint
1 Bay leaf (optional)

1) Put beans in a large pot and cover with water about 1 inch over the beans. Add onions to pot, and an optional bay leaf. Cook on medium-high heat until soft and creamy (about 2 hours), stirring occasionally and topping off with water when it gets low. Look for a stew-like consistency.

**Pre-Heat Oven to 400 at this point**

2) In a saute pan, add oil and get it very hot. Once hot, add the mint, garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper, and cumin, and any other spices that you want. Stir them around until it’s all fragrant, just about a minute or so, and then stir the oil into the beans. The amount of oil you use is a bit nebulous. When you stir the beans up, they’re supposed to glisten with the oil.

3) Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the mix. Now you can add any other meats or vegetables (leeks are great in here).

4) Put the beans in a clay pot, tagine, or a Dutch oven or whatever you have. Bake them at 400 F, for about 30 minutes, or until you reach a nice, thick consistency. Remember, when the beans cool, they will be thicker.

Serve with pita bread, or dense, crusty sourdough.

Serving Size: Makes 8 servings of 9.5oz each.