FASULYE PILAKI (Turkish white bean mezze, cooked in olive oil with vegetables)

Ingredients:
- 500 g dried white beans or cannellini beans
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
- 1 potato, coarsely chopped
- 1 tomato, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 cup water
- Salt, to taste

Directions:
1) Soak the dried white or cannellini beans overnight or for least 8 hours. Then drain the beans, rinse and transfer to a pot, filled with plenty of cold water
2) Bring the pot tot he boil, cover the pot and simmer for about 30-35 min. Make sure the beans become tender, but not soft or mushy!
3) Drain and rinse the cooked beans under cold water and set them aside
4) Heat the olive oil in the pot and stir the chopped onion. Sauté for about 2-3 min. until they start to soften
5) Add the garlic, carrot, potato, tomato and tomato paste, combine well and sauté for another 2 min.
6) Stir in the beans, sugar, lemon juice, water and season with salt. Combine well! Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for another 10-15 min. until the beans and vegetables are cooked (but not mushy!)
7) Serve the fasulye pilaki at room temperature or cold as part of a mezze spread or appetizer