These little pearls are half the size of their better known cousins, cannellini beans, but are cooked the same way.
These were a gift from Polly Wessel–a “Braveheart” (a cooking workshop alumni) last year–kindly brought from Rome.
They have sat on the shelf patiently waiting. Now they are in the spotlight–and I’m appreciating them.
They are called Fagioli del Purgatorio and come from Gradoli–a town 60 miles north west of Rome in Lazio.
Traditionally served at lunch on Ash Wednesday (today), which marks the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar–a time to purge one’s sins by giving up something one enjoys.
(I remember dreading it as a child in the fifties! No chocolate and or sweets for seven weeks–purgatory!)
One definition of PURGATORY has it as
“…a temporary condition of torment or suffering.” *
When it comes to eating beans Meredith would agree–and would willingly give them up for longer than Lent!
She said today that if she were to take over in the kitchen–something she is capable of doing–she’d cook more or less like I do–except NO beans!
(Meredith grew up near Chicago–the Windy City–perhaps she’s had her fill of wind! The only beans she saw were the long green ones from the family garden–and those she likes!)
Annibale Caracci’s The Bean Eater
The size of the beans suits this little salad but use any white bean.
8oz dry white beans–soaked in water eight or more hours or overnight (evening of Pancake Tuesday!)
1 carrot–halved lengthwise
stick of celery–chopped in two
1 onion–halved
sprig of rosemary
for the dressing;
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove–pulped in a little salt
1 smallish red onion–diced small
2 to 3 tbs parsley–chopped
salt and pepper to taste
a lemon quartered to squeeze over for perfection!
oven at 170c
- Put the first five ingredients in a saucepan and top by two inches or more with water.
- Bring gently to the boil.
- Spoon off any white froth that has collected on the surface.
- Cover the pan and place in the middle of the oven and cook for an hour.
- Test the beans for softness.
- If they still seem a little crunchy cook on until they are soft.
- This depends on the age of the beans–the older they are, the longer they cook.
- When you are happy with their tenderness–drain them and pour into a pretty serving bowl.
- Mix the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper into a vinaigrette and pour over the beans while they are still warm.
- Add the onion and parsley and carefully turn it all over.
A fuller definition of PURGATORY is:
an intermediate state after death for expiatory purification; specifically : a place or state of punishment wherein according to the souls of those who die in God’s grace may make satisfaction for past sins and so become fit for heaven
Well, I’d be happy to take my punishment–I love beans!
Wind or no wind!
Robin Ellis 
Delicious! another Robin Winter Warmer! In hospital with very diabetic type symptoms hospital food not as gourmet!!
Courage, Sally!
Thank you! though on the bright side I will just have to cook more of your lovely recipes! X
As a child of around 11 or so, gave up candy for Lent. Went to a play with friends & the Mom passed around candy at intermission. I had some, but realized during second act that I’d broken my Lenten oath – Guilt took over my thoughts, that afternoon!
I trust and hope you have got over it, Liz!
This looks wonderful, Robin…serious bean habit here! I much prefer soaking and cooking from scratch (if I can remember the night before…) as the taste and texture are definitely better. I make a very similar salad using black-eyed beans, which are my absolute favourite (called Jaapie Beans in our family as my Dad’s childhood friend in SA, nicknamed Jaapie, adores them!) Meredith…time for a major conversion…!! x
Hi, Rachel. Tooting merrily here! yes, I know Meredith has been in contact.
What a good healthy item on the menu. Mary, the chefette here, hopes to make that and the pork chops in the kitchen.
And I will make the sign of the cross now. I may have to spend some time with Dante in purgatory…;-)…A little ditty that I remember from way way back on the ‘bean’…
‘Beans beans they’re good for your heart
The more you eat the more you @@@@
The more you eat the better you feel
So eat beans at every meal!’
Everybody stay warm in the kitchen! It’s cold outside!
Rich
I’ve never had luck with cooking dry beans, so I use the canned variety. A nice and simple recipe using black-eyed peas: Fry a few slices of bacon till very crisp. Let drain on a paper towel. Finely mince a small onion, a carrot, and a stalk of celery, and saute in the bacon fat till tender. Drain liquid from 2 15-oz cans of black-eyed peas. Add the peas to the pan with the vegetables and mix well. Crumble up the bacon, add to the pea/veggie mixture, and allow to heat through. Optional: add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. This is a dish I reproduced after having it in the café at the Brooklyn Academy of Music!
Sounds delicious, Patty. I played BAM in Jan/Feb 1974 for five weeks with The Actors Company–cold in NYC but wonderful.
Hi Robin,
That made me smile. I’m afraid I agree with Meredith and my husband agrees with you. I don’t see the fascination with beans and he loves them!
I don’t mind a few kidney beans in a chilli, but other than that …….Well, we can’t all like the same things can we? Vive la difference! Love Heth xx
Hello Robin,
If you’re ever travelling in Northern Italy in September, you should check out La Festa del Fagiolo which takes place in the town of Lamon in the province of Belluno. Lots of fun and great food.
Cheers,
Marina Osso (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Thanks for the tip, Marina.
Not a beans fan, too except for chilly, “pasta e fagioli” and “fagioli all’uccelletto”! This maybe is due to a strong indigestion I had when a child as I was used to eating lots of beans with lots of “cotiche”=pork’s rinds!
Love the two you mention, Paola.
So sorry to learn that Mrs. Ellis does not care for beans. Since I began reading your blog here I have increased my bean intake exponentially. For breakfast, though, there is nothing like the marvelous from-scratch-overnight-much-work beans prepared by a first rate Mexican cook – heaven. I once had a to-die-for white bean soup in a tiny cafe in the countryside in Quebec – there were twelve kinds of homemade soup on the menu, and if I hadn’t already been identified as a non-French speaking American tourist I would have licked my bowl after eating my never forgotten bean soup.
Sounds delish! I’ll definitely try, especially as it is unseasonably warm here in Santa Fe, NM.
Hello, hello, hello! I’ve lapsed from reading your blog entries for some time, as I’ve had an unusual run of bad luck with laptops and internet issues. But am catching up now and so enjoyed seeing the photos of “Ross, Francis and Cap’n McNeil,” Meredith and her wooden spoon, and of course the nice photo of Pippa, and generally catching up.
I must drag myself away from the temptation of writing more about your beautiful Pippa and our special cat families because I can get caught there! Will only mention that on one very cold evening, I fell asleep having left my cat, Ginger, outside! I awakened to ‘see’ her eyes glaring at me as if to say, “Wake up and let me in!” – I ran to the door and there she was glaring at me! Cats rule!
Congratulations on publishing your soon to be released new cookbook!
Years ago, when our family visited Arco, in northern Italy, not far from Lago di Garda, we ate lunch in an ancient building there, with the beautiful frescos still visible on the upper walls in the court yard, which as you may imagine, is jaw-dropping astonishing for American visitors to see. Our hosts ordered lunch which included something wonderful which name I cannot remember, but loosely interpreted means, The Strangled Padre. It involved spinach, butter, breadcrumbs, ricotta or similar cheese, and possibly wrapped in a ravioli type of pasta covering, I cannot remember. And more butter! But the name derived from the story of a monk who lived there in the sixteenth or seventeenth century and had very little food to eat. So the story goes, the season was winter and the Padre was cold and extremely hungry. He apparently nibbled on the breadcrumbs while he was assembling the only ingredients that were available in his kitchen, and he unfortunately choked, and that was how the dish was named!
I’m going to try your recipe for Roasted Cabbage Rounds tonight, they look tempting in the photo. The cabbage seems to be ignored for some reason, but your post is giving it some much deserved attention!
And then, onto the beans!
Thanks you, Nadine–enjoy the cabbage–we had it tonight as left-overs.
Great recipe to celebrate the “International Year of Pulses”. I cook beans often and always in an electric pressure cooker. It couldn’t be easier and the beans come out perfect every time. I also find them much easier to digest using this cooking method. Thanks for the legume inspiration!