Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Gigantes Plaki
436 kcal a serving, against 565 for the traditional version. That is 129 kcal off, or 23%, with 25.2g of protein. Serves 6. 90 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Dried giant beans soaked overnight, boiled, then baked for hours. The sauce is a blend of tomatoes, onions, garlic and celery, fortified with an immense amount of olive oil that pools on the surface.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of olive oil down to 20g
Olive oil is magic, but it piles on the calories faster than anything else. Cutting it back forces the tomatoes to do the heavy lifting for the sauce.
What it costs you. You lose that slick, oily mouthfeel that makes the traditional bake so luxurious. The sauce is much sharper and more tomato-forward.
Adding 150g of feta to the finish
With the oil gone, the dish needs a hit of salt and fat to stop it tasting like a cheap tin of baked beans. Feta brings big flavour and bumps up the protein.
What it costs you. You end up with a cheese-topped bake. The version that's a strict vegan classic anymore is still out there and still better. If you hate cheese, you are stuck with a leaner sauce.
Gigantes swapped for dried haricot beans
Proper giant Greek beans are brilliant but hard to find in a standard supermarket. Haricot beans are cheap, easy to get and do exactly the same job.
What it costs you. You lose the massive, meaty bite of the giant beans. Haricot beans are much smaller, so the texture is slightly softer.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 565 | 436 |
| Protein | 21.3g | 25.2g |
| Fat | 26.6g | 10g |
| Saturated fat | 3.7g | 4.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 64.5g | 64.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.8g | 5.8g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, milk.
The method is in the book
A massive bowl of comfort. The haricot beans soak up the tomato sauce brilliantly, and the feta gives you exactly the salty kick you need. You miss the pools of olive oil if you are used to the holiday version, but you'll feel vastly better after eating this one. There's no greasy film left on the plate, just a deeply savoury crust.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback