Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Soak the beans
Sort through the beans, rinse them, and cover with 1,500 ml cold water. Leave them to soak for 8 to 12 hours, then drain and rinse once more.
Cook the beans until almost tender
Put the beans in a pot with 1,800 ml fresh water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for about 65 to 80 minutes, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Stir in 5 g of salt during the last 10 minutes. Set aside 500 ml of the bean cooking liquid and drain the beans; remove the bay leaf.
Slowly sauté the onion
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Cut the onion into thin half-moons. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and 3 g of salt, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir regularly; the onion should soften and develop golden-brown edges without burning. Remove the stem from the dried pepper, roughly chop it, and stir it into the onion. Take the pan off the heat, add the paprika and black pepper, and stir briefly.
Layer the beans and onion
Spread half the beans and half the onion mixture in a baking dish with a capacity of about 2 litres. Repeat the layers. Stir the wine vinegar into the reserved bean cooking liquid and pour the mixture evenly into the dish.
Bake until tender and lightly golden
Place the uncovered dish in the oven and bake at 190 °C for about 45 to 55 minutes. The prebranac is ready when some of the liquid has been absorbed, the beans are completely tender, and the top has golden-brown patches. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving; serve hot.
