Greek Bamies with Tomato Sauce

Step 1

Rinse the okra under cold water and pat dry with paper towels, rubbing gently to remove any fuzz. Trim away the stem end (the pointy cap) with a small knife, cutting about 1/4 inch from the tip—this helps prevent the okra from becoming too slimy when cooked.

Step 2

Cut the onion in half from root to tip, place flat-side down on the cutting board, and slice lengthwise from root to tip into thin half-moon pieces about 1/4 inch wide.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot and place it over medium heat until the oil shimmers and flows quickly when you tilt the pan, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add the sliced onion to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds until the onion turns soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes—the onion should smell sweet and caramelized.

Step 6

Pour in the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the garlic smells strongly fragrant and stops looking raw.

Step 7

Add 1 teaspoon of dried oregano to the pot and stir for 15 seconds so the oregano coats the oil and releases its aroma.

Step 8

Pour in the entire can of crushed tomatoes (about 28 ounces), including all the juice, and stir well to combine with the onion and garlic.

Step 9

Add the trimmed okra to the tomato sauce and stir gently until all the okra pieces are covered in sauce. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 10

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat—you should see small bubbles breaking the surface steadily, not a rolling boil. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low.

Step 11

Cook the okra uncovered, stirring once every 5 minutes, until the okra is very tender and pierces easily with a fork, about 20–25 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly and coat the okra.

Step 12

Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve the bamies hot or warm, spooning plenty of sauce over each portion.