I have been asked to post the recipe for my Christmas Eve navy beans in the clay pot, and here it is!

For the clay pot in the beginning:
2 packages navy beans ( 500 gram)
1 red onion, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, cut
1 cup peppers (green bell, yellow or red, whatever you like), sliced
1/2 cup celery sticks, cut 
1/3 cup carrots, grated or finely chopped
1/2 cup dry or fresh mint/peppermint, chopped ( very important ingredient for the original taste! Without it it’s not the same at all!)
salt, black pepper to taste

In a 5 qt clay pot- 4 qt water.
In a 7 qt slow cooker- 4 qt water

After the beans are fully cooked add to the clay pot
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes ( fresh or canned)
1 small can tomato paste 


Just before you take the beans out of the oven:
2 tbsp. paprika
3 tbsp olive oil


Serves – 8-10

1. Wash and drain the beans, then place them in a regular cooking pot with 1.5 quarts of water to boil.
When it boils, drain the beans in a colander and repeat one more time.

2. After the beans have been boiled and drained twice, add all of the ingredients from the first list together in the clay pot or slow cooker (  navy beans, red onion, white onion, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, peppers, celery sticks, carrots, dry or fresh mint/peppermint, salt, black pepper to taste and water).

* If you are using a clay pot– place in the oven on 450F for 30 min, then lower the temperature to 150 and bake for 4-5 hours or until the beans are fully cooked)
* If you are using a slow cooker– place all of the ingredients in it and use the program that is for 6 hours on high.

3. After the beans are fully cooked, add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.
* In a clay pot- bake for 30 more minutes on 350 F
* In a slow cooker –  start a new 4 hour program on high and cook for 1 more hour, then turn off.


4. Place the olive oil in a small pot on the stove on high, then add the red pepper until the mixture is sizzling ( be careful not to burn it, you have to work very quickly). Get a big ladle and start adding beans from the clay pot ( or slow cooker) into the small pot as stirring the olive oil and red pepper well.

5. When the small pot is full of beans, add them all back to the clay pot or slow cooker.
* if using a clay pot– stir the beans in the clay pot well, turn off the oven and leave the pot inside until serving time.
* if you use slow cooker– stir the beans in the slow cooker and switch the temperature to ” Keep warm” until serving time.

Best serve warm with freshly baked bread and pickles.You can garnish with bacon, sausages or ribs too if you eat meat.

Per my readers request, I am posting a link where you can buy a clay pot like mine:
http://www.mybalkanstore.com/Default.aspx?itempage=9e7c8c41-7db4-4d7e-b893-0cb895464f24

Enjoy!