Gratin Of Flageolet Beans

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
10 cloves garlic, peeled
4 leafy sprigs fresh thyme
8 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 prosciutto hock with rind (see note)
2 cups flageolet beans or small white beans that have been soaked overnight in cold water
8 cups lamb or beef broth or water
Salt to taste
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups bread crumbs
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
  622 calories; 26 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 61 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 39 milligrams cholesterol; 1257 milligrams sodium

Eight servings

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large noncorrodible pot (glass, ceramic, stainless steel or enameled iron). Add the diced carrot, celery and onion along with the garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the thyme, diced tomatoes, prosciutto hock, beans and the broth or water. Salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding water if the bean mixture becomes too thick. Remove the cover, raise the heat slightly and cook for another 30 minutes, reducing the liquid until it is at the same level as the beans. When stirred, the beans should have the consistency of a thick sauce.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the prosciutto hock and thyme sprigs from the pot. Remove the rind from the prosciutto, chop the ham into coarse pieces and add them to the beans. Stir in about half of the parsley.
Pour the beans into a baking dish. Mix the bread crumbs with the remaining parsley and the extra-virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese, and spread this over the beans in an even layer. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the edges bubble and the top is evenly browned.

If a prosciutto hock is not available, do not substitute a smoked ham hock, as it will give the beans a powerful smoky flavor. Instead, use meaty pork bones, such as spareribs or chops.

2 hours 20 minutes