Turkish White Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing (Antalya Piyazı)

Pick over and wash the dried white beans, then leave them to soak overnight, for at least 8 hours, in enough water to cover them by 3-4 finger-widths. Before cooking, pour off the soaking water and rinse the beans a few times.

Put the beans in a pot, add enough fresh water to cover them by 4-5 finger-widths, bring to the boil and skim the foam from the surface. Cook over low heat with the lid ajar for 45-60 minutes, until the skins split slightly and the beans are completely tender. Set aside 1 tea glass (100 ml) of the cooking water, drain the beans and leave them to cool until just warm.

Chef's tip: Test by squeezing a few beans between your fingers; if they crush easily but do not fall apart in the pot, they are ready.

While the beans are cooking, lower the eggs into boiling water and boil them for 10 minutes. Transfer them to cold water, peel them and cut each one into quarters.

Crush the garlic with the salt into a paste, using a mortar or the back of a knife. In a bowl, whisk the tahini, crushed garlic, the juice of the lemon and the vinegar. Keep whisking while you add the reserved warm cooking water a little at a time, until the sauce is pourable and creamy.

Chef's tip: When tahini meets lemon and vinegar it first seizes and thickens; this is normal, and it loosens and turns smooth as you gradually add the water.

Dice the tomatoes small and chop the onion finely; finely chop the parsley.

Gently combine the warm beans with the tarator sauce in a bowl, using a spoon and taking care not to crush the beans, then transfer to a serving dish.

Spread the tomato and onion over the piyaz and arrange the egg pieces on top. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.