Beans feature in many Italian recipes, particularly in Tuscany. In fact the Tuscans like them so much that they have been nicknamed mangiafagioli or ‘bean eaters’: it makes Tuscany a great destination for vegetarians, as there are lots of nutritious soups and side dishes to choose from, as well as pasta dishes.
Beans in Ancient Rome
Beans were eaten by the ancient Romans and were a favourite fast food sold on the streets of Pompeii. Go to Pompeii today and you can still see the stalls where this ancient Roman dish was sold. Italians love to use a wide range of beans in their recipes, and you’ll see dried beans – and chick peas - on sale in markets all over the country. Borlotti beans (sometimes called cranberry beans) appear frequently. In this recipe from Vegetarian Cooking: A Commonsense Guide (Murdoch £10.99), which appears here with permission, borlotti beans are combined with favourite Italian ingredients like olive oil, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and red wine to make a Greek-style moussaka.
Borlotti Bean Moussaka - Recipe
Ingredients – Serves 6
- 250g (9oz/1¼ cups) dried borlotti (cranberry) beans
- 2 large eggplants (aubergines), sliced
- 80ml (2½ fl oz/? cup) olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 125g (4½ oz/1? cups) sliced button mushrooms
- 800g (1lb 12oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 250ml (9fl oz/1 cup) red wine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
Topping
- 250g (9oz/1 cup) plain yoghurt
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 500ml (17fl oz/2 cups) milk
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
- 50g (1¾ oz/½ cup) grated parmesan cheese
- 40g (1½ oz/½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs
Method
- Soak the borlotti beans in enough cold water to cover overnight.
- Rinse and drain the beans, then place in a large heavy-based saucepan, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1½ hours, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Brush the eggplant slices with a little olive oil and cook under a hot grill (broiler) for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Sauté the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 3 minutes, or until browned. Stir in the tomato, wine, tomato paste and oregano. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Spoon the borlotti beans into a large baking dihs, then top with the tomato sauce and eggplants slices.
- To make the topping, whisk together the yoghurt, eggs, milk and paprika. Pour over the eggplant and set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the parmesan and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Sprinkle over the sauce, then bake for 45-60 minutes or until the moussaka is heated through and the top is golden.
Now try this vegetarian recipe: Homemade Ravioli with Herb and Sage Butter
