Prebranac

Prebranac (Serbian Baked Beans)

A hearty Serbian Orthodox Lenten staple of white beans slow-baked with onion, garlic, sweet paprika and bay leaf, finished with a crisp breadcrumb top. Soaking and parboiling the beans first ensures they are fully tender and safe to eat.

Prep

15 min

Cook

150 min

Total

165 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 1½ oz) dried white beans (cannellini or navy), soaked overnight
• •150 ml (5 fl oz) sunflower oil, or other neutral oil
• •800 g (1 lb 12 oz) onions, about 5–6 medium, thinly sliced
• •6 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• •2 tbsp sweet paprika, not smoked, not hot
• •3 whole bay leaves
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •60 g (2 oz) breadcrumbs, fine, for topping
• •1 tbsp sunflower oil, for drizzling the top

Steps

1. 1 Soak the beans in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. 2 Cover the soaked beans with fresh cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30–40 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain, reserving 250 ml (8 fl oz) of the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaves if any were used during boiling.
3. 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas Mark 4).
4. 4 Heat 150 ml (5 fl oz) sunflower oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
5. 5 Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the sweet paprika and salt, and mix well (adding paprika off the heat prevents it from turning bitter).
6. 6 Combine the parboiled beans, the onion mixture, the bay leaves and the reserved bean cooking liquid in a bowl. Stir gently so some beans break down and thicken the sauce.
7. 7 Transfer to a wide baking dish (about 2 litres / 2 quarts). Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
8. 8 Remove the foil, scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the top, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, and bake uncovered for a further 20–25 minutes until the surface is golden brown and the beans are bubbling.
9. 9 Doneness cue: the beans should be completely tender when pressed between fingers, the sauce thickened but still moist, and the internal temperature of the dish should reach at least 75°C (167°F). Rest for 10 minutes before serving.