Baked White Beans with Roast Pork Shank
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the beans:
- 1 lb/ 500 g canellini beans
- 1 leek finely chopped
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots diced
- ¼ cup/ 60 ml vegetable oil
- 5-6 pickled spicy peppers
- 1 tablespoon dried spearmint
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup/ 240 ml tomato passata see notes
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pork shank (optional):
- 2-3 lbs/ 1 - 1,3 kg pork shank
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the beans in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Let them soak overnight.
- On the next day remove the water and wash the beans very well.
- Transfer the beans to a pot with water and put them on the stove, over medium heat. Add the diced carrots. Bring to boil and then cook until the beans are ready. Discard the water.
- While cooking the beans, you can also roast the pork shank. Season it with the spices and place it in an oven bag together with ¼ cup water. Bake for about 2 hours at 350º F/ 180º C.
- Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and cook the onions and leeks until soft. Add salt, paprika and flour and mix until the vegetables start browning slightly. Add the tomato paste, tomato passata and 1 cup lukewarm water. Season with dried spearmint, salt and pepper and stir again.
- Add the onions to the cooked beans, mix well and transfer to a baking pan. Place the roast pork shank in the middle and arrange the spicy peppers on top of the beans.
- Bake for about 40 minutes at 375º F /190º C.
Notes
- For a vegan version simply skip the pork shank and bake the beans with the fried onions and the spicy peppers.
- Instead of passata, you can use same quantity of grated fresh tomatoes without the peel.