Fasolia are white beans and this dish is cooked throughout Cyprus and Greece and many other countries around the world. 'Anything' yachni means cooked in a tomato sauce. Ripe, fragrant, tasty and cheap tomatoes are abundant in the Mediterranean region and so this is a perfect dish to cook with fresh tomatoes you have left over and that are not suitable for salads. I never use tinned tomatoes. I see people buying them in Cyprus and I think they're just silly, or pretentious. Anyway, this is a great vegetarian dish that goes well with fresh bread and red wine. Beans Means Fasolia

Ingredients

• 1 Pint of white beans (just more than half a litre)
• 2 medium sized onions (finely chopped)
• 2 sticks of celery (optional)
• 1 carrot (optional)
• Half a bunch of fresh broad-leaf parsley (about 100g)
• 2 Large ripe tomatoes (finely chopped)
• Half litre of tomato juice
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

Method

Put the beans in a large pot with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain the water and replace with fresh water and cook for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely chop the onions and fry them in olive oil until soft. Add chopped carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook a little longer until the tomatoes form a paste. Add the the celery and the tomato juice with salt and pepper (to your liking) bring to the boil and then slow cook until the beans are ready.

When the beans are soft add them to the tomato mix with the parsley leaves. Add a further 1/2 litre of water and cook for at least 35 minutes or longer. The longer the better because the tomatoe sauce will thicken into a delicious paste

Serve with fresh bread, wine and good company.