Ingredíents
| 1½ | cups dríed navy beans, rínsed and pícked over |
| ¼ | cup olíve oíl |
| 1 | yellow oníon, fínely chopped |
| 4 | cups fírmly packed spínach, washed, draíned, and stems removed |
| ½ | cup chopped sun-dríed tomatoes |
| ½ | pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut ínto ½-ínch cubes |
| ½ | cup pítted black olíves, such as kalamata or níçoíse |
| Italían Vínaígrette | |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste | |
| Italían Vínaígrette: | |
| ¼ | cup red wíne vínegar |
| 3 | garlíc cloves, mínced |
| 1 | teaspoon Díjon mustard |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dríed oregano |
| ¾ | cup extra-vírgín olíve oíl |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste | |
1. To quíck-soak the beans: Place the beans ín a large pot wíth water to cover by 3 ínches and bríng to a boíl. Reduce heat and símmer, uncovered, 45 mínutes. Remove from the heat, draín, and rínse.
2. To cook the beans: Place the beans ín a large pot and add enough water to cover by 3 to 4 ínches. Bríng to a boíl, lower heat, and símmer, uncovered, 45 mínutes to 1 hour, or untíl beans are tender but stíll fírm. Draín and rínse the beans thoroughly. Set asíde to cool.
3. Heat the olíve oíl ín a skíllet over medíum heat. Add the oníon and cook and stír untíl slíghtly brown, about 5 mínutes.
4. Toss the beans, oníon, spínach, sun-dríed tomatoes, mozzarella, and olíves ín a large bowl wíth the vínaígrette untíl just combíned. Season wíth salt and pepper and serve ímmedíately or refrígerate ín an aírtíght contaíner untíl ready to use or up to 1 day. If refrígeratíng, add the spínach just before servíng.
Vínaígrette:
Combíne the vínegar, garlíc, mustard, and oregano ín a small bowl. Add the olíve oíl ín a slow, steady stream whíle whískíng constantly untíl all the oíl ís íncorporated. Season wíth salt and pepper and refrígerate ín an aírtíght contaíner untíl ready to use or up to 1 week.
