Fasulye Piyasi
Region: Turkey
Category: Antipasto, Meze, Tapas, and Hors d'Oeuvres
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy but long cooking time
This meze is popular throughout Turkey and is usually served with a garnish of olives, hard-boiled eggs, or tomatoes. The preparation is called fasulye piyasi. A piyasi dish is one flavored with onions, so this is “beans flavored with onions.” The chile should be pretty hot, so if you don’t find what I call for, use two or three serrano chiles or one or two jalapeños. Always serve it at room temperature. To hard-boil the eggs so they come out with a bright yellow center, place room temperature eggs in a saucepan of boiling water and remove them nine minutes later. Place in a bowl of cold water and, once you can handle them, shell them.
Yield: Makes 12 servings
Preparation Time: 1:20 hours
2 cups (about 1 pound) dried white cannellini beans or other white beans that are not too small, rinsed and picked over
Salt
5 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 very large red onion, chopped
1 long finger-type green chile, seeded and chopped
Leaves from 1 small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, to your taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
Handful of imported black olives
1. Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover by at least 4 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil, salt lightly, and cook at a boil until tender but still maintaining their body, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the garlic and let cool.
2. Stir in the onion, chile, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter, spreading the beans out, and garnish the edges with the olives and eggs.
Posted: 10/13/2008
