Greek Baked Limas in Tomato

From the garden

• 5 cups fresh shelled lima beans, shelled
• 5 large ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, diced small
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

From the pantry

• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• ½ cup olive oil · gigantes is an olive oil dish; cutting this back changes what comes out of the oven
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
• ½ cup crumbled feta (optional) · scattered at the table, not baked in
• crusty bread (optional) · for serving
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Simmer the shelled limas in unsalted water 10 minutes, until barely tender but still holding their shape, then drain and save a cup of the cooking water.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide oven-safe pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt 10 minutes, until soft, sweet, and just beginning to color.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, until the paste darkens to brick red. Add the tomatoes and oregano and simmer 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
4. Fold in the beans and half the parsley, adding reserved bean water until everything sits loosely covered. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper, going slightly bolder than tastes right: the bake concentrates it.
5. Bake uncovered 50–60 minutes, stirring once at the halfway mark, until the beans are completely tender and the surface caramelizes in patches where the oil pools at the edges.
6. Rest 15 minutes off the heat, since gigantes tastes flat straight from the oven and needs the oil and tomato to settle. Scatter the remaining parsley and the feta if using, and serve with bread.