Prebranac (Serbian Style Baked Beans)

This dish is traditionally prepared in clay pots.








Ingredients:

1 pound large white beans
1 pound onion
4 garlic cloves
1 large carrot
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sweet paprika powder
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 large dried or fresh pepper
1 cup red wine

Preparation:

Soak the beans overnight in the refridgerator with enough water to cover. When you are ready to cook them, drain the water and wash the beans. Put the beans in cold water and let it boil for 10 minutes. Discard the water and replace it with new, hot water. It has to be hot water or beans will get hard if you start cooking in cold water! Add salt, bay leaves and sliced carrot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours. By then it should be cooked and most of the water would have evaporated. Check occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.  Drain the remaining but DO NOT DISCARD.

Chop onion into large pieces and cook in hot oil until golden brown.  Add chopped garlic, paprika powder and black pepper. Mix it well for another 30-60 seconds and remove from the heat. Preheat oven to 350̊F (180̊C).  Grease  deep clay dish and add half of cooked beans enough to cover the bottom. Next layer the fried onions and finish with the rest of beans. Pour the water that remained from cooking and the wine on top. Push the pepper into the mixture halfway (the other half will be visible). Bake at 350̊F for 45-60 minutes until the top becomes dark brown.

It is as much a starch as it is a vegetable and can be served as a vegetarian main course or side dish.
When used as a main course it is served hot and if is served as a side dish then it is usually cold. If you prefer, before you put the dish in the oven,  top with bacon or sausage.