3 cups gigande beans, dried (.5 kilo)=6.5 prepared)
1 1/2 pounds highest quality preserved tuna
3 red onions, finely sliced
6 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 cups kalamata olives, sliced or chopped
1 cup fresh parsley tightly packed, chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight in fresh cold water with roughly three times more water than bean volume. Cook beans by placing in a large pot, covering them with 2 inches of fresh water , bring to a boil rapidly and boil vigorously for 15 minutes followed by 2 hours of simmer. Stir occasionally and if water reaches the level of the beans top with additional boiling stock.
DO NOT add salt or any acidic ingredients, including tomatoes, until the final 10 minutes of cooking. These ingredients will slow the process. Instead add onion, celery, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves for flavor and remove at the end. When the beans are a little firm (on the very edge of tender with skins mostly intact, take off heat but don't drain. Allow beans to soak up the salt and flavors until the water is lukewarm. If preparing salad later, store them in the water.
Toss all ingredients together except the oil and vinegar. Mix the oil and vinegar with salt and add to the same bowl. Mix thoroughly although carefully with a spatula.
