Fagioli all’Uccelletto (Tuscan Stewed Beans)

Name: Fagioli all’Uccelletto (Tuscan Stewed Beans)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 6-8

10 MINPrep Time

about 2 HRCook Time

6-8Servings

by Giadzy

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Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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In Tuscany, white beans are a staple side dish and fagioli all’uccelletto is a delicious way to understand how they’re typically prepared. This unctuous side dish is the pinnacle of rustic Italian comfort cooking. You can make this dish extra wonderful by cooking your own beans from scratch, but if you’re in a pinch, canned beans work great. Serve this with crusty bread to sop up all that delicious sauce!

Fagioli all’Uccelletto (Tuscan Stewed Beans)

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Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

about hours

Ingredients

For the Beans:

1 pound dry cannellini beans**

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1 head garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1 sprig sage

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1 shallot, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon kosher salt
** can alternavely use 2, 28-ounces cans cooked and drained cannellini beans. Just skip the process of soaking and cooking the dried beans.

For the Sauce:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil + more for garnish

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3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 large sage leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2, 14-ounce cans pomodorino di Corbara tomatoes or canned cherry tomatoes
1, 2.5-ounce piece parmesan rind

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Kosher salt

Instructions

Add the dried beans to a large bowl and cover with 10 cups of cold water. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to soak for 8-10 hours.
After soaking, drain the beans and transfer them to a dutch oven. Cover the beans with 8 cups of water. Add the sliced head of garlic, sage, shallot, and salt to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender. Use a spoon to skim and remove any foam that sits on top of the water while cooking. Remove from heat. Discard the garlic, sage, and shallot. Drain the beans and set them aside while you make the sauce.
Use a paper towel to wipe out the dutch oven, then bring the heat up to medium. Add the olive oil, garlic, sage, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parmesan rind, and ¾ teaspoon of salt and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes. Add the drained beans to the sauce, and stir to incorporate. Cover and simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is glossy and coating the beans. If the sauce starts to look too dry or begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add a few tablespoons of water and stir to combine. Remove from heat and discard the parmesan rind. Season with salt to taste. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil.