Tuscan Beans Fagioli Alla Toscana Recipes

Steps:

• Cook 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 1 minute. Add 1 chopped plum tomato and 1 sprig rosemary and cook 2 minutes. Add 2 cans drained, rinsed cannellini beans and cook, partially smashing the beans with a spoon, 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary. Stir in 1/2 cup water and some chopped parsley; season with salt. Sprinkle with parmesan and broil until golden. Drizzle with olive oil.

Steps:

• If using a terra-cotta pot for the first time, soak it in water to cover at least 6 hours, then drain.
• Put beans, water, sage, bay leaf, and whole head of garlic in bean pot. Cover and slowly bring to a simmer over low heat; this can take 2 3/4 hours in bean pot or 1 hour in saucepan.
• Simmer beans until tender and soft but not mushy, about 45 minutes in bean pot or 35 to 40 minutes in saucepan. Remove from heat and cool beans, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in sea salt.
• Drain almost all cooking liquid from beans (reserve for making soup if desired) and season beans with sea salt and pepper to taste.
• Dress beans with oil at the table.

Steps:

• Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Next day, drain beans, then place in a large saucepan with cold, lightly salted water to cover. Add celery, carrot, bay leaf and onion halves stuck with cloves. Bring to a boil, then simmer until beans are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Discard vegetables and let beans cool in their cooking liquid. In a sauté pan over medium heat, gently heat olive oil, add garlic and half the herbs and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown garlic. With a slotted spoon, add beans and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add about 1 1/2 cups of their cooking liquid. Stir in 1/2 of Pecorino Romano cheese and remaining herbs. Boil briskly for about 10 minutes until liquid reduces slightly to form a "sauce." If beans are tender before sauce thickens, remove them with a slotted spoon and continue boiling down liquid, then pour over beans. Add salt and pepper, if needed, to taste and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. This recipe yields 6 servings.