Zuppa di Fagioli (Mixed Beans Soup)
Ingredients:
- Dried Borlotti beans 1 cup (200 g)
- Dried cannellini beans 1 cup (200 g)
- Black eyed peas 1 cup (200 g)
- Cluster tomatoes 8 oz (250 g)
- White onions 7 oz (200 g)
- Carrots 5 oz (150 g)
- Celery 2 stalks - (with the leaves)
- Garlic 2 cloves - unpeeled
- Tomato paste 2 tbsp (20 g)
- Water 8 cups (2 l)
- Aromatic herbs to taste - (rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves, marjoram)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- To make bean soup, start by soaking the cannellini beans, borlotti beans and black eyed peas separately at room temperature for at least 8 hours. Drain the beans once the soaking time is up, place them in cold water and boil for 45 minutes, or until they are done. Place the black eyed peas in a separate saucepan because they may take less time to cook, whereas the borlotti and cannellini beans can be cooked together.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients in the meantime: dice the celery sticks, then finely chop the leaves. Dice the carrots too.
- Do the same with the onion and the tomatoes. Lastly, tie the aromatic herbs together with some cooking twine.
- Place the vegetables in a large saucepan with a drizzle of hot oil, then add the unpeeled garlic clove and the bouquet of herbs.
- Brown the vegetables for a couple of minutes, then add the black eyed peas, the cannellini and borlotti beans. Add the tomatoes too.
- Cover with water, then add the finely chopped celery leaves. Add salt, pepper, and bring to the boil. Now cook on a medium flame for around an hour.
- Season with the tomato paste halfway through the cooking time. Once cooked, remove the garlic and the bouquet of herbs, then add salt to taste if necessary. Serve your bean soup garnished with a drizzle of raw oil and a grating of fresh black pepper!