The Best Tuscan Bean Recipe Ever

On Thursdays in Soriano we go to a winery and olive mill and learn how their exceptional extra virgin olive oil is made. After a tour of their olive mill, Serena (the owner) treats us to some home made food out on the terrace, among this food, is some of the best Tuscan Beans ever.  Not a week goes by that guests on our tours don’t beg for the recipe for the “beans they had at Madonna delle Macchie.  So we sat down with Serena’s mom and got her to write down the recipe for us.  Here it is:

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500gr) Borlotti Beans
• 6 oz. (170 gr) Lardo di Colonatta
• Sage
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Orvieto Classico White Wine
• Salt
• Pepper

Suitable Substitutes if you cannot find the beans:
Cranberry Beans, Saluggia, Shell Beans, Crab Eye Beans, Rosecoco Beans, Roman Beans.

Suitable Substitute if you cannot find Lardo:
Find a butcher that can cut prosciutto into very thick slices for you and use the fat. It is a decent substitute.

Directions

1. Boil the beans, then drain.
2. Place oil and garlic in a frying pan and and saute for 5 minutes with the Lardo and sage.
3. Add the the beans and cook at low heat with salt and pepper for 10 minutes.
4. Pour the white wine and allow to evaporate for two minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Enjoy, and tell us what you think!