Jani me Fasule (Albanian White Bean Soup)

Sort through the dried white beans, rinse them, and soak in plenty of cold water for 8–12 hours.

Drain the soaking water, rinse the beans again, cover with 2.5 L of fresh water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain this first water and rinse the beans.

Return the beans to the pot, pour in 3 L of boiling water, add half of the salt, and simmer covered over low heat for about 2 hours, until the beans are nearly tender; add more hot water as needed.

About an hour after the beans start cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the finely chopped onion, and sauté for 5–7 minutes until soft.

Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the onion, and cook for 1 minute until the paste darkens and becomes more fragrant.

Transfer the tomato-onion sofrito to the pot with the beans, stir, and cook for another 30–40 minutes, until the beans are completely tender and the soup has thickened.

Add the remaining salt along with the finely chopped mint and parsley, stir, and heat through for 2 minutes.

Remove the jani me fasule from the heat, let it rest for 10 minutes, and serve hot.