Confit Of White Beans With Roasted Tomato And Orecchiette Fagioli Alluccelletto Recipes

ORECCHIETTE WITH GREENS, GARBANZO BEANS AND RICOTTA SALATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and discard. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. In batches, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Add the beans and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the pasta, 1/2 of the cheese, and lemon zest. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.
• Transfer to a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

ORECCHIETTE WITH FRESH AND DRIED BEANS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• To cook dried beans, transfer with their soaking water to a heavy pot. Add more water as necessary to cover the beans with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water. Over medium-high heat, bring to a gentle boil and skim away foam. Add onion and garlic, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Add salt to taste (I use at least a rounded teaspoon), cover and continue to simmer very gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are tender all the way through and their texture is plush and velvety. Taste the bean broth and add more salt as necessary. Remove from heat. Let beans cool in the broth if not using right away.
• Place a strainer over a bowl and drain beans. Measure out 1 cup of the broth and combine with the tomato sauce or tomatoes in a wide pan or a pasta bowl.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add orecchiette. Boil 5 minutes and add green beans. Boil another 5 minutes, until pasta is cooked al dente. Drain and toss green beans and pasta with the cooked beans and tomato sauce or tomatoes. Add half the basil and toss again.
• Serve in wide bowls, garnishing each serving with fresh basil and Parmesan.

CONFIT OF WHITE BEANS WITH ROASTED TOMATO AND ORECCHIETTE FAGIOLI ALL'UCCELLETTO

Steps:

• For the beans: Place the beans in a saucepan and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 hour, then drain.
• Return the beans to the saucepan along with the onion, celery, carrot and bay leaf. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. (If you heat them too fast, the skins may break.) Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are almost tender, 20 minutes or longer, depending on the age of the beans. Add salt, to taste, and continue cooking until the beans are tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat and let cool in the liquid. (You can prepare the beans to this point 1 to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Drain the beans and discard the vegetables but reserve the liquid.
• In a preheated casserole pan that can go from the stove top to the oven, pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, add garlic cloves and allow to caramelize, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomato puree, simmer about 10 seconds, then add beans and white bean liquid. Sprinkle top with cherry tomatoes, thyme, parsley, red pepper flakes, and 1 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, taste for seasoning, and serve over orecchiette pasta.

WHITE BEANS WITH ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Toss tomatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 pinch salt together in a small roasting dish. Move tomatoes to 1 side of the dish and place banana peppers on the other side.
• Broil in the preheated oven until tomatoes are charred and softened but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a large bowl and flip peppers.
• Return to the oven and continue to broil peppers until charred and softened, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove peppers from the oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes; peel, remove seeds, and slice. Fold beans, onion, and peppers into tomatoes.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook chicken sausage in the hot oil until crisp and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to tomato mixture and gently fold to combine. Finish with orange juice and cilantro and season with salt.

WHITE BEANS WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water to cover overnight. Place in a large pot with the chicken stock and add water to cover. Simmer 45 minutes to an hour, or until the beans are tender.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Slice the tomatoes very thin and place them on an oiled roasting dish. You will probably need two dishes. Roast for 30 minutes to an hour, or until they begin to shrivel up and get brown around the edges. Remove from the oven, scrape up with a spatula and set aside. The tomatoes will not hold their shape but this does not matter.
• Season the beans to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a heated serving dish and sprinkle with the tomatoes.