Turkish
Piyaz
Creamy white beans meet salt-softened red onion, tomato, green pepper, parsley, lemon, and olive oil, with egg wedges and briny olives arranged over the platter.
4 servings · 25 minutes prep · 50 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beans
- 1 cup dried small white beans, picked over and rinsed
- 6 cups water for soaking and cooking, plus more as needed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
Salad and Dressing
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced into very thin half-moons
- 1 small ripe tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 small mild green pepper, seeded and finely sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Platter Finish
- 1 large egg, hard-boiled and peeled, cut into 4 wedges
- 6 black olives
Directions
Soak and Simmer the Beans
- Cover the dried white beans with 3 cups of the water and soak for 8 to 12 hours. Drain, rinse, and return the beans to the saucepan with 3 cups fresh water.
- Bring just to a boil, skim any foam, then lower to a bare simmer. Cook partially covered for 35 to 55 minutes, adding hot water if needed to keep the beans submerged. When the centers are creamy but the skins mostly hold, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and simmer for 5 minutes more. Drain well.
Tame the Onion
- While the beans cook, rub the red onion with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining salt for 1 minute, until it softens and releases a little juice. Rinse briefly under cold water, squeeze gently, and drain thoroughly.
Dress and Cool the Beans
- Whisk the lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fold half through the warm drained beans and cool for 20 minutes.
Build the Platter
- Fold the drained onion, tomato, green pepper, and three-quarters of the parsley into the beans with enough remaining dressing to make them glossy but not soupy.
- Spoon onto a shallow platter. Arrange the egg wedges and black olives on top, scatter with the reserved parsley, and serve cool or at room temperature.
