Baked giant beans with spinach and herbs

If you like the giant beans then this is a nice alternative recipe to enjoy with the family. It is filling, very nutritious and tasty!

Recipe of Argyro Barbarigou,
a prominent Head Cook

Check out her site Argiro for more delicious recipes

Ingredients (for 6 people):
500gr. giant beans
1 tsp of baking soda
750gr. fresh spinach, roughly chopped
5-6 Spring onions, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped (both green and white part)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch of dill, finely chopped
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
800gr. tinned tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tea-cup of olive oil
3 tbsp of fine breadcrumbs
salt
pepper
400gr. feta cheese, crumbled (optional -see note in the end)

Method:
The night before, put the giant beans in a large bowl full of water along with the baking soda and let them soak all night. Next day rinse the beans very well under running water.

Put in a large saucepan plenty of fresh water and boil the beans for about 30 minutes- if you need to stir use a wooden spoon. When ready drain in a colander.

Wash well and drain the spinach. Put it in a bowl adding some salt on it. Let it stand for about 15 minutes and then press with your hands to squeeze out as much of its liquid as possible.

Put the spinach in  a bowl and add the dill, the parsley, the leek, salt, pepper, the Spring onions and the onion and mix very well.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Grease with some oil a large oval pyrex dish or a round oven pan of about 32-34cm and lay half the quantity of the green mixture. On top lay all the giant beans and on top of them lay the rest of the green mixture. Cover with a layer of the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and pour over with the olive oil. Sprinkle on top with the breadcrumbs.

Place the pan on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour, until the food is left with nothing else than the oily sauce from the cooking.

Take out of the oven, let it stand for 10 minutes and then serve.

Note:
If you use the cheese add the 300gr. in the spinach mixture and save the remaining 100gr. to scatter on top instead of the breadcrumbs.