When one thinks of Italian cuisine, it is likely pizza and pasta that first come to mind but one of the main things to consider about authentic Italian dining is that it is generally done in courses and, while pizza is a snack usually eaten alone, pasta is traditionally consumed after a salad course and before a meat or fish course that is accompanied by vegetables and side-dishes. On an international scale, these other elements are often forgotten and forgone for a more pasta-heavy meal but if you're trying to recreate a Tuscan dining experience at home then they cannot be skipped!
One side-dish that is highly traditional and very Tuscan is Fagioli al Fiasco, or “Beans in a Flask”. Nicknamed "bean eaters" by other Italians, Tuscans are particularly fond of beans and bean-based dishes and this, like so many delicious Tuscan favourites, is a culinary delight that comes from peasant and farming traditions. First used by Tuscan farmers to cook their beans, this unique method saw them place a glass bottle with beans in it in a corner of the fireplace on hot ashy embers before going to bed so that they would have freshly cooked beans to wake up to in the morning.
One side-dish that is highly traditional and very Tuscan is Fagioli al Fiasco, or “Beans in a Flask”. Nicknamed "bean eaters" by other Italians, Tuscans are particularly fond of beans and bean-based dishes and this, like so many delicious Tuscan favourites, is a culinary delight that comes from peasant and farming traditions. First used by Tuscan farmers to cook their beans, this unique method saw them place a glass bottle with beans in it in a corner of the fireplace on hot ashy embers before going to bed so that they would have freshly cooked beans to wake up to in the morning.
Today, while it is less commonly made, there are modern ways to reproduce this beloved Tuscan dish that is easy to prepare and have ready for a proper Tuscan feast, as we all stay safe at home and travel with our taste-buds from our kitchens as we look forward to days in which vacations don't seem so far away anymore...
Ingredients:
300g of cannellini beans
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
Some sage leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
A large empty Chianti bottle or any glass jar or bottle.
Method:
1. Take a bowl and add the beans. Cover completely in cold water and leave to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain the water from the beans. Place in the glass bottle with the oil, garlic, and sage and cover with water until the bottle is 3/4 full. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the jar over a gas stove flame spreader on a gas stove to cook without allowing the glass to touch the flame directly or, if you have a fireplace or wood burning oven, you can use the traditional method and place the bottle in a corner of the dwindled fire on hot embers. Leave for a couple of hours on a moderate heat if using the gas stove or leave overnight in the fireplace if using that method. Be sure, no matter what method you choose, that you are not leaving the glass jar/bottle over too high a flame or too hot a fire or the glass may shatter.
4. When done, separate the liquid in which the beans were cooked and the beans themselves into two different bowls. Wet the beans a little with a drizzle of the cooling cooking water and season with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt on top.
5. Serve alone, as they are, with fresh crusty bread, or directly on top of toasted crusty bread, as a side-dish along with a meat/fish course after a soup/salad course and a pasta course and followed by a dessert for an authentic Tuscan-style dining experience. (Check out some of our other recipes from Tuscany here if you're planning a whole Tuscan-themed meal as a treat to yourself and those you may be self-isolating with.)
6. Enjoy the flavours and comfort food of Tuscany from the safety of your own home as we all look forward to better times ahead.
Ingredients:
300g of cannellini beans
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
Some sage leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
A large empty Chianti bottle or any glass jar or bottle.
Method:
1. Take a bowl and add the beans. Cover completely in cold water and leave to soak overnight.
2. The next day, drain the water from the beans. Place in the glass bottle with the oil, garlic, and sage and cover with water until the bottle is 3/4 full. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place the jar over a gas stove flame spreader on a gas stove to cook without allowing the glass to touch the flame directly or, if you have a fireplace or wood burning oven, you can use the traditional method and place the bottle in a corner of the dwindled fire on hot embers. Leave for a couple of hours on a moderate heat if using the gas stove or leave overnight in the fireplace if using that method. Be sure, no matter what method you choose, that you are not leaving the glass jar/bottle over too high a flame or too hot a fire or the glass may shatter.
4. When done, separate the liquid in which the beans were cooked and the beans themselves into two different bowls. Wet the beans a little with a drizzle of the cooling cooking water and season with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt on top.
5. Serve alone, as they are, with fresh crusty bread, or directly on top of toasted crusty bread, as a side-dish along with a meat/fish course after a soup/salad course and a pasta course and followed by a dessert for an authentic Tuscan-style dining experience. (Check out some of our other recipes from Tuscany here if you're planning a whole Tuscan-themed meal as a treat to yourself and those you may be self-isolating with.)
6. Enjoy the flavours and comfort food of Tuscany from the safety of your own home as we all look forward to better times ahead.
Photo credit:Ernesto Andrade / CC BY-ND 2.0
