Tuscan Beans for Soup
Fagioli alla Toscana
- 4 to 5 cups of beans; 3 to 4 cups liquid
- 2 cups dried beans
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with a flat knife blade
- 3 sprigs fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Rinse the beans under running water if they look a little dusty. Place in a large bowl and add 2 cups of water (preferably spring water), or enough to cover the beans to a depth of about 1½ inches. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Next day, check the beans and add more water if necessary -- this time just top them up to a depth of ½ inch. Put back in the refrigerator and leave overnight again. They should soak for two days, more or less, and should be checked from time to time to see that they haven’t absorbed all the water during this period. (Refrigeration is necessary to keep the beans from either fermenting or sprouting.)
When ready to cook, transfer the beans, with their soaking liquid, to a large, heavy pot -- enameled cast-iron is perfect. Add more water if necessary, to a depth of about ½ inch, and the garlic, sage, oil, and pepper. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, let boil for 60 seconds, then lower the heat and cook without removing the lid very, very gently, just barely simmering, for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, stir in salt to taste. Test the beans and if they are not sufficiently tender, continue to simmer gently until done. (It is hard to predict what beans will do, since so much depends on the age of the beans, a factor that, unless you’ve grown them yourself, is hard to determine.)
The beans may be served as is, with a drizzle of fresh green olive oil and, if you wish, chopped raw garlic, chopped anchovies, flaked canned tuna, thinly sliced red onion, and plenty of black pepper, along with slices of grilled bread. Beans like this are often served as a side dish to accompany roast pork, game, or grilled sausages. Or they may become the basis of other dishes.