Spring Fasolada with Fresh Green Beans

La storia di questo piatto

Fasolada is the soul of Greece poured into a bowl — a dish so ancient and beloved it carries the weight of a civilization, eaten by philosophers and farmers alike, now awakened by spring's first tender green beans like a hymn sung in a new season.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Dried cannellini beans
• 300 g Fresh seasonal green beans
• 400 g Ripe tomatoes
• 1 medium White onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 150 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 litres Vegetable broth
• 2 leaves Bay leaves
• 5 g Sea salt
• 2 g Ground black pepper
• 3 g Dried oregano

Preparazione

1. Rinse the dried cannellini beans under cold running water until the water runs clear. Choose your preferred method: LONG METHOD (if you have time): place the beans in a bowl, cover completely with cold water and let soak overnight. You'll see them increase in volume as they absorb the water—this is proof they're softening. QUICK METHOD (if you're in a hurry): place the beans in a pot, cover with cold water, turn on the heat and wait until you see the first bubbles rising rapidly. Boil vigorously for 2 minutes (you'll hear the pot bubbling), then turn off the heat, cover with the lid and let rest undisturbed—the hot water will continue to soften them. Finally, drain in a colander and let all the water drain away.
2. Cut the onion into small pieces (it doesn't need to be perfect, just roughly the same size). For the garlic: place each clove on the cutting board, lay the flat of your knife over it and press down with the palm of your hand until you hear a slight crack—the skin will come off easily. Mince it into small pieces. Pour a generous amount of oil into the pan, turn the heat to medium (not high, or everything will burn). Add the onion and garlic and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. After a few minutes you'll notice the change: the onion goes from white and opaque to transparent and golden. You'll smell a sweet, inviting aroma rising from the pan—that's your signal it's ready. If the onion starts to darken or you smell burning, you've waited too long: lower the heat immediately.
3. Add the soaked beans (well drained), the hot vegetable broth (you'll see the steam rising and feel the heat), and 2-3 bay leaves. Raise the heat until you see bubbles rising fast and continuously—you'll hear intense bubbling (this is boiling). As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, immediately lower the flame to the minimum: the soup should simmer, meaning you see only small bubbles rising slowly from the bottom, not a violent, agitated boil. The beans are ready when you can easily crush them between your thumb and forefinger with light pressure. If they're still hard, they need more time. The beans should remain whole: they shouldn't become a soft mush.
4. Cut the fresh green beans into pieces about 3-4 centimetres long (roughly the length of an index finger). Add them to the soup along with the canned tomatoes, then stir well with a spoon to distribute everything evenly. Continue cooking on low heat. The green beans are cooked just right when you can pierce them easily with a fork without resistance, but they still have a slight crunch when bitten—they shouldn't become soft and mushy.
5. Taste the soup with a clean spoon. Add sea salt a little at a time (a small pinch at a time), stir well and taste again between additions—it's easier to add salt than to remove it. Continue until the flavour satisfies you. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste (you'll see the black specks scattered throughout the soup) and a small pinch of dried oregano. Turn off the heat. Drizzle a generous amount of raw extra virgin olive oil over the surface—you'll see it float and shimmer, and smell its fresh, pleasant aroma rising from the pot.
6. Pour the still-hot fasolada into deep bowls (add the soup with a ladle until they're three-quarters full). Remove the crusts from the bread, cut it into slices and toast lightly in a pan over medium-high heat, or in the oven, until it becomes crisp and hard to the touch. Brush each slice generously with olive oil. If you have fresh oregano, gently pull the small leaves from the stems and sprinkle them over the surface of the soup. Serve immediately while the soup is steaming and the bowl is still warm to the touch.