Baked Gigantes in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried gigantes beans or large dried lima beans (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup extravirgin olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped carrot
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain beans.
2. Preheat oven to 325°.
3. While beans cook, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in oregano and tomatoes; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, dill, honey, salt, and pepper. Combine the cooked beans and tomato mixture in a 3-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 1 hour.