Fagioli all’uccelletto - beans in tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 200 g dried beans – I used pinto (a dried white bean is more Tuscan and would work just as well)
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbs good olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
• A few fresh sage leaves (or a pinch of dried herbs)
• 540 g bottle Cirio passata
• 70 g pot Cirio tomato puree

Instructions

1. 1

   The night before you make the dish place the beans and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set to one side and allow to soak overnight.

2. 2

   Drain the beans and rinse well. Put into a large saucepan, cover with boiling water and let them simmer until three quarters done – so the outside of the bean is soft, but the centre is still chalky, this will take between 20 – 40 minutes depending on the type and size of bean. Drain and rinse, reserving a cup of the cooking water.

3. 3

   Whilst the beans are cooking gently heat the garlic and herbs in the olive oil, in a large frying pan, you want them to infuse rather than cook.

4. 4

   Add the passata (rinse the bottle out with a splash of the bean soaking water), puree to the pan and the beans, stir, season with salt and pepper and allow to cook on the lowest heat for about an hour until the beans are tender, add some of the bean cooking water during this time if needed.

5. 5

   Serve with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a liberal sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper.