Simple to make, healthy, and aways a crowd pleaser, these Tuscan beans are packed with flavor from pecorino Romano cheese, rosemary, thyme, and sage.–Michael Romano
LC Ah...Tuscany Note
Ah…Tuscany. In the words of one of our recipe testers who made these Tuscan beans, “This dish takes me back to the wonderful flavors and aromas found in that region. If you’re looking for a lively dish, this is not it. Rather, it contains hints of Tuscany here and there in a subdued fashion.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Tuscan Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cannellini beans
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and halved
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3/4 cup pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sage leaves, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- 1. Place the beans in a large pot, add enough water to cover, and soak overnight.
- 2. The next day, drain the beans and place them in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover and season lightly with salt. Add the celery, carrot, and bay leaf. Stick the cloves in the onion and toss that in the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer until the beans are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove and discard the vegetables and let the beans cool in the cooking liquid.
- 3. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and half the herbs and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. Using a slotted spoon, add the beans and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add about 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid, 1/2 the pecorino Romano cheese, and the remaining herbs. Boil briskly for about 10 minutes, until the liquid reduces slightly to form a “sauce” of sorts. (If the beans become tender before the sauce thickens, remove them with a slotted spoon and continue boiling down the liquid, then pour it over beans.) Season with salt and pepper, if desired, transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
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Tuscan Beans Recipe © 1995 Michael Romano. Photo © 1995 Jan Smith. All rights reserved. All recipes and photos used with permission of the publisher.
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Brenda Carleton
Ah…Tuscany. This dish takes me back to the wonderful flavors and aromas found in that region. If you're looking for a lively dish, this is not it. Rather, it contains hints of Tuscany here and there in a subdued fashion. The idea of adding the cheese to the bean cooking liquid is brilliant as the sauce became velvety and smooth. There is just something so delicious about teaming garlic with fresh herbs and pecorino. I often stud onions with whole cloves, and here an additional clove or two would have added just a little bit more flavor. Sprinkling more pecorino on top of the mound of beans at the end added more vitality.