Tuscan White Beans Recipe (Tuscan Fagioli all'Olio)
One of Tuscany's most iconic side dishes - fagioli all’olio - homemade white beans with garlic and sage.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried cannellini beans (450 g)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 5-6 leaves fresh sage
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml), + more for serving
- 1 Tbsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the cannellini beans and then soak them in a big pot of water overnight (or 8 hours minimum).
- Peel the garlic but do not chop it. Drain the beans and add them to a large pot along with the peeled garlic, sage leaves, and olive oil. Fill with about 10 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
- Remove any of the scum (white bubbly foam) that forms at the top with a spoon. Gently simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour but up to 2.
- When the beans are tender but not falling apart, turn off the heat and stir in the salt and a couple of turns of freshly ground black pepper.
- Drain the beans (reserve the cooking liquid for other uses) and remove the garlic if you can spot it. Serve as a side dish either at room temperature or gently reheated drizzled with plenty of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Notes and Tips:
- Soak beans for up to 16 hours before cooking and a minimum of 8.
- Don’t cook the beans into a pulp. Turn off the burner the moment the beans are tender. Best to check after 1 hour of cooking.
- These beans are perfect room temperature, making them ideal for picnics, potlucks and when you are entertaining.
- Use these beans to make fagioli all’uccelletto and ribollita.
- Add to soups and stews such as Italian minestrone.
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