CANNELLINI BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

CANNELLINI BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP image

Categories Bean

Yield 10-12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Previous Next

2½ cups dried cannelini beans (1 pound)
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
¼ cup tightly packed chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup minced celery
1 cup drained canned San Marzano tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds, scraped (see Andrew's Note, page 102)
3 quarts water
Kosher salt
1 head escarole, cored and chopped into 2-inch pieces
Freshly cracked black pepper
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Steps:

Place the beans in a large bowl and pick through them, removing any stones or debris. Cover with cool water and let sit for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain. In a Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic. Once it begins to sizzle and become fragrant, add the chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add the parsley and cook for 1 minute. Do not allow anything to brown. Add the onion and celery and stir to combine. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Cut the cheese rinds into small pieces, to maximize the surface area exposed to the cooking liquid, and tie up in a small square of cheesecloth. Add this sachet, the beans, and the water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Skim any foam that comes to the surface and stir in salt to taste. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the beans until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. (Cooking time will vary, depending upon the age of the beans.) Add the escarole and cook until tender and wilted, 10 minutes. Season the soup with more salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil.