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white beans cold water bay leaves extra-virgin olive oil salt extra-virgin olive oil garlic peperoncino
Viewed: 31 - Published at: 2 years agoIngredients
- 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dry cannellini or other small dried white beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked (see box, page 59)
- 4 quarts cold water, plus more if needed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 big garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried peperoncino (hot red pepper flakes)
- A heavy-bottomed soup pot, 6- or 8-quart capacity, with a cover
Method
- Drain the soaked beans and put them in the pot with the water, bay leaves, and olive oil.
- Cover the pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
- When the water is at a full boil, set the cover ajar, adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle boiling, and cook for an hour more, until the beans are tender.
- Stir in the salt, uncover, and continue cooking at a bubbling boil for another hour or more, until the beans and broth have reduced to 3 quarts.
- Lower the heat as the liquid evaporates and the soup base thickens, stirring now and then to prevent scorching.
- When the soup base is sufficiently reduced, make the soffritto.
- Heat the olive oil and the sliced garlic in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes or so, shaking the pan now and then, until the slices are sizzling.
- Drop in the peperoncino, stir with the garlic, and cook another minute, or until the garlic is just starting to color.
- From the soup pot, ladle out a cup of the simmering bean broth and pour it into the skillet.
- Let it sizzle and start to boil, shake and stir up the soffritto, and cook it for a couple of minutes in the broth.
- Then pour it all back into the bean pot, scraping in every bit of the soffritto, or just rinse the skillet out with more broth.
- Simmer the soup base for another 5 minutes with the soffritto, then remove from the heat.
- The base is ready for a finished soup now; or let the whole pot cool, pick out and discard the bay leaves, and keep the soup refrigerated for 3 or 4 days or freeze, in filled and tightly sealed containers, for 4 to 6 months.
