Baked Beans

Sort through the dried white beans, rinse them, and place in a pot. Cover with cold water so the level is 5 cm above the beans, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for 1 hour for a quick soak.

Drain the water, cover the beans with fresh water (3-4 cm above the level), and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes until half-tender — the beans should hold their shape, since they'll finish cooking in the oven. Set aside 500 ml of the cooking liquid and drain off the rest.

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small cubes and fry in a dry skillet for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel, then sauté the finely chopped onion in the rendered fat for 5 minutes until soft.

Preheat the oven to 175°C. In an oven-safe baking dish, combine the cooked beans, bacon, onion, tomato sauce, molasses (or honey), mustard powder, and the reserved cooking liquid. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and stir to combine.

Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake for 60 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake for another 25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the beans have browned slightly on top.

Let the dish rest for 5 minutes and serve hot.