How To Make Homemade Baked Beans

SERVES 6–8. Peel the tomatoes if you wish by dipping them first into boiling water, then into iced water. They will peel easily. But the beans taste good with the skins used as it gives the finished dish greater depth of flavour. If they are chopped up well you’ll hardly notice the skins.

1. Step 1:

   Cook the beans in a pan with just enough hot water to cover them. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Drain well.

2. Step 2:

   In a separate saucepan, fry the onions gently in the oil until just tender, then place in an ovenproof lidded casserole.

3. Step 3:

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes, sugar, passata and beans. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Step 4:

   Preheat the oven to 165°C/gas mark 3.

5. Step 5:

   Stir well, cover the casserole and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Stir, then cook for another 30 minutes. Check that the beans are tender; if not, cook them for a further 15 minutes.

6. Step 6:

   These taste better if they are allowed to cool slightly before serving. Cool completely before storing.

7. Step 7:

   Serve on hot buttered toast. They taste good with some ground white pepper sprinkled on the top.